About this Item
Bound in cloth boards with titles present on the spine and front board. Boards have shelf-wear present to the edges with sunning to the spine cover. Previous owner's name "Jody" written with a heavy hand in red pencil on the front half title page, with some foxing to the glossy first page (reverse and inside cover have skyline photo of New York from the water). The rest of text is clean and free of marks. While "Jody" may have been a youngster, THIS book was definitely NOT written for children. It is written with a very dark, cynical look at the bustling pre-war city, digging deep into the unseen depths of city life. Very interesting reading, but has some disturbing truths about the "Big Apple." No topic appears to be left out, from amazing technology, to the squalid living conditions of the 11,000 children workers, to the chapter on "Black Harlem," begins with: "Thirty years ago Harlem was white." and goes into the origins of the influx of slaves to this country, to "Philip A. Payton, a colored man, negotiating leases." so that "134th Street was taken over and filled with Negro tenants." Period phrases, which would get a book banned today, fill the text here. A description of the riots of 1935 when Sufi Abdul Hamid agitated a riot of 500 African Americans, aided by Communist "field forces." Some serious truth within these pages. The author, though using terms deemed inflamatory today, this book is NOT "racist," as he spoke highly of the black residents of Harlem, stating; "And what strong men are these of earth's most ancient lineage!" He further describes the laughter and beauty of the residents. For those of you interested in the influence of Communism in America, references are made to the "Communist Front stirs behind the blacks." and continues with a description of one of the weekly Communist meetings, trying to inflame the black Harlemites into revolt, which is today denied by the modern political parties. Very interesting reading to be sure. Hard cover edition. 213 pages. Dimensions: 8" by 10". Published by Macmillan Publishing, Co. Inc., New York. 1st edition, 1939. B&W photographs. Cover defect(s): Slight corner/edge damage. Some spine cover damage. Page defect(s): Some writing. Some dog eared pages. Light foxing. 3 Pound Shipping Rate. Genre(s): Retrospectives / New York / History.
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