The Spirit of the Ghetto

By Hutchins Hapgood

Book Overview

"The Spirit of the Ghetto: Studies of the Jewish Quarter in New York" by Hutchins Hapgood offers a compelling glimpse into the vibrant intellectual and social life of New York City's Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th century. This meticulously prepared print edition revives Hapgood's insightful observations of Jewish immigrant communities and their experiences.

Explore the complexities of ghetto life through a rich tapestry of social commentary and historical detail. Hapgood delves into the heart of this unique neighborhood, capturing its energy and struggles with remarkable sensitivity. A valuable resource for those interested in urban sociology, Jewish studies, and 20th-century American history, "The Spirit of the Ghetto" provides a timeless portrait of a pivotal era in American immigration and the enduring spirit of a community forging a new identity.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1023199408
• ISBN13: 9781023199407
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

No Spirit in Hapgood's ghetto

This book came highly recommended as a window into the lives of the Jewish immigrants of the Lower East Side and I was quite eager to read it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Although Mr. Hapgood was accurate in the portrayal of his subjects, his portraits appeared dry and obviously written by a non-Jewish outsider. His "Spirit of the Ghetto" was actually pretty spiritless and came off as an anthropological study. For a more interesting and realistic picture of these dynamic people, I suggest Irving Howe's "World of Our Fathers" or the fiction of Abraham Cahan. The beautiful drawings of Jacob Epstein, however, compensate for the shortcomings of Hapgood's stilted prose and make this book a worthwhile purchase.