Plunkitt of Tammany Hall

By George Washington Plunkitt, William L. Riordon, William L. Riordan, et al.

Book Overview

Accompanied by supporting, primary documents which put the book and subject matter into context, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall gives you insight into the world of controversy, conflict, corruption, and color that surrounded urban political machines at their height.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312084447
• ISBN13: 9780312084448
• Release Date: November 1993
• Publisher: Bedford Books
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

One of the most important political books

Rarely is a political book as entertaining as it is informative. This is one of those rarities. Riordon provides a classic examination of the reality of big-city politics as it was practiced a century ago. Any principled person considering a career in politics should read this book to understand what makes many self-interested, career politicians tick.

An excellent book for the study of political machines.

I used this book for research on turn-of-the-century politics, particularly political machines. I found it to be very useful in describing the ways party bosses manipulated and filandered in order to gain power. Plunkitt's candid style made for a very entertaining and informative read.

Plunkitt Tells it Like it is

Plunkitt was a king in a world that needed benevolent despots. In a place like turn of the century of New York before Keynesian economics and the Welfare State, Tammany was the only relief the poor knew. Plunkitt reveals with refreshing honesty the seemingly rough and coarse manner with which one needed to play the game of politics in his town. However, one must look at it in context. This was a different time from our own, and the reader must imagine whether a person of Plunkitt's demeanor can last in the information age political world. Then again, the book also illustrates how many of the problems Tammany had still exist today.