new york

Discusses the various gangs of nineteenth-century New York, such as the Plug Uglies, the Dead Rabbits, and the Bowery Boys, and describes the settings of their activities, such as saloon halls and gambling dens, covering figures such as Dandy John Dolan, Bill the Butcher and Hell-Cat Maggie.

Chino, a young Puerto Rican man with a bright future, looks to Willie Bodega, the New York City drug pusher who rules Spanish Harlem, for a favor and becomes ensconced in a world of betrayal and violence.

The author describes his and his family's experiences after his fifteen-year-old daughter Sally had her first manic episode in 1996 and had to be committed to a New York psychiatric facility for treatment.

Examines the life and accomplishments of Jane Jacobs, and focuses on her book, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities," in which she assessed American cities during the urban renewal movement and criticized the replacement structures and urban planners.

Former federal prosecutor Stanley Alpert describes his experiences after being kidnapped on January 21, 1998, the night before his thirty-eighth birthday, by thugs who wanted to use his ATM card, and who decided to hold onto him a while longer after learning the size of his bank account.

Discusses the massive influx if immigrants through Ellis Island from the late nineteenth century through World War II and the Cold War, covering the resulting ideological debates and new arrivals' encounter with corruption, harsh conditions, and political scheming.

Provides an inside look at how the New York Police Department has developed into one of the country's top counterterrorism operations since the 2001 attacks on the U.S., and discusses controversies that have arisen over their methods.

Paul J. Lioy, an American environmental scientist, discusses the dust that was released from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, describing his scientific findings and the environmental impact of the dust, the government focus on asbestos, and suggestions to prepare for future incidents.

Chronicles the life of Boss Tweed, focusing on his political career and the scandals, corruption, and negative influence he had on American politics in the mid-nineteenth century.