An English Reporter in Gilded Age New York

By Harry Marks

During the late 1870s, English reporter Harry H. Marks covered New York City in intimate and often idiosyncratic detail. He wrote about the tenements, Chinese immigrants, burglary tools, French communists, organ grinders, trained monkeys, and bohemians.These 30 stories, published in 1888 as "Small Change; or, Lights and Shades of New York" (1882), are being reprinted because they shine a rarely seen light on the common people of the city.Pawnbroker to the Rich: "See that solid silver pitcher; that was presented years ago to a well-known gentleman by A. T. Stewart, Wm. B. Astor, Brown Brothers and others. ? There on the side were the names of Stewart and Astor. I erased, them, and if you want to present it to Mayor Grace, I will engrave his name on it and give it to you cheap."Organ Grinders: "At all seasons of the year the organ-grinder, of all men, battens on the misfortunes of others; for, strange to say among a music-loving people, he is most liberally paid when the payment is conditional upon his going as far away as possible."Chinese Men: "Many Chinamen have found white wives and live happily with them. I had some conversation with a bright, intelligent Irish girl, the wife of a young Chinaman, and she told me that she was well satisfied with her lot ? because he was sober, kind, had plenty of money and did not run after other women.""An English Reporter in Gilded Age New York" is history as observation and reportage about people who never appear in the history books. Some of it is satirical ("The Midsummer Maiden"), some of it sad ("Women Who Work"), and some a celebration of life ("A Bavarian Fest Tag"). It's a book for those interested in New York City, the Gilded Age, and historical fiction. Marks' New York is unforgettable.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1950347354
• ISBN13: 9781950347353
• Release Date: March 2022
• Publisher: Peschel Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"