 First edition cover | |
| Author | Herbert Asbury |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Early 19th-early 20th century crime inNew York City |
| Published | 1928 |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 400 |
| OCLC | 8903814 |
| 364.106097471 | |
| LC Class | HV6439 .U7 |
The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld is an Americannon-fiction book byHerbert Asbury, first published in 1928 byAlfred A. Knopf. It formed the basis forMartin Scorsese's 2002Academy Award-winning filmGangs of New York, starringLeonardo DiCaprio,Daniel Day-Lewis, andCameron Diaz.
In 1927, Asbury published an article inThe American Mercury, titled "The Old-Time Gangs of New York", which was ultimately incorporated into the book published the following year.[1][2] Drawing on themuckraking style of the era, the author wrote based on "legend, memory,police records, the self-aggrandizements of aging crooks,popular journalism, and solidhistorical research", to present an illuminating account of the gangs of old New York that ultimately gave rise to theMafia as we know it today, from films likeThe Godfather.[3]
The book outlines the rise and fall of 19th centurygangs inNew York City, prior to the domination of theItalian-American Mafia duringProhibition in the 1920s. Focusing on the saloon halls, gambling dens, and winding alleys of theBowery and theFive Points district ofLower Manhattan, the book evokes the destitution and violence of a turbulent era, when colorfully named criminals like "Dandy"Johnny Dolan,William Poole (also known as "Bill the Butcher"), andHell-Cat Maggie lurked in the shadows, corrupt politicians likeWilliam "Boss" Tweed run the city, and infamous gangs including thePlug Uglies,Dead Rabbits, andBowery Boys ruled the streets. It includes arogues' gallery ofprostitutes,pimps, poisoners,pickpockets, murderers, and thieves.
The book contains detailed accounts of theNew York City Draft Riots of 1863. It also elaborates on numerous other criminal influences of the time, includingriver pirates and the corrupt political establishment, such asTammany Hall.
Over the years, the book has gained a massivecult following, and a wide range of authors continue to mention it in their work, even to this day. AsRussell Shorto writes in his foreword to the 2008 edition byVintage, "[Asbury's] book became anunderground classic because it catalogued the underbelly of New York, which to many is the real New York. His subject is the beast inside every city, and inside every one of us, maybe."[4]
Argentine master of theshort-story,Jorge Luis Borges, famously was a great fan ofThe Gangs of New York. His 1935 collection,A Universal History of Infamy (original Spanish title:Historia universal de la infamia) is a directhomage to Asbury's book.[5] Leader of theJewish-AmericanEastman Gang,Monk Eastman, as well as legendary New York-bornWild Westoutlaw andgunfighter,Billy the Kid, appear in both Asbury's and Borges's books.
Beat Generation authorWilliam S. Burroughs namedThe Gangs of New York as one of his 12 all-time favorite non-fiction titles.[6]
In his 1991 treatise,Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York,Luc Sante discusses many anecdotes about 19th century New York street life made popular through Asbury's book, and he eitherdebunks or confirms them, while simultaneously expanding upon them with his own research findings.[7]
Futurist writer and author of thearchitectureblogBLDGBLOG Geoff Manaugh referencesThe Gangs of New York in his bookA Burglar's Guide to the City (2016), as he discusses 19th and early 20th century thieves andcon men, such asGeorge Leonidas Leslie, whom Asbury mentions multiple times in his book. Manaugh demonstrates how architects can learn valuable things about buildings (and their structural flaws) from professional burglars.[8]
Over the course of his career, Asbury made multiple attempts to follow up on the success ofThe Gangs of New York. During the 1930s, he published thenon-fiction books,The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld (1933), which explores the seedy underbelly of the populous port city, as it gradually started to form after the 1848California gold rush,The French Quarter: An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld (1936), about the town with the most notoriousred-light district in the country, andGem of the Prairie: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (1940), which outlines the rise of theChicago Outfit and other localMafia groups. Asbury also penned a direct sequel, titled,All Around the Town: Murder, Scandal, Riot and Mayhem in Old New York (1934), andSucker's Progress: An Informal History of Gambling in America (1938), a complete look at old-timegamesmanship in America.
The book was loosely adapted into theepichistorical drama filmGangs of New York (2002) by directorMartin Scorsese. A television adaptation is in the works with Scorsese set to return as executive producer and director of the first two episodes, working on a script written byBrett C. Leonard. As Scorsese stated when the show was first announced in 2013, "This time and era of America’s history and heritage is rich with characters and stories that we could not fully explore in a two-hour film. A television series allows us the time and creative freedom to bring this colorful world, and all the implications it had and still does on our society, to life".[9]
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