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URBAN LIFE by Linda Leuzzi

URBAN LIFE

By

Pub Date: June 1st, 1995
Publisher: Chelsea House

A useful entry in the Life in America 100 Years Ago series. Leuzzi shows how urban life at the turn of the 20th century was far from easy, particularly in the overcrowded slums that were the result of massive immigration. Topics discussed include the rapid growth of cities and the shift from an agrarian economy, the upheaval caused by such changes, and the beginning of city planning; the growing concern for social issues and attempts at change, focusing on a few ""muckraking"" journalists and reformers (e.g., Jane Addams and Ida Tarbell); and other relevant players. With a design that features illustrations surrounded by a lot of white space, the book is best when dipped into--in fact, its strengths are the b&w engravings and photographs, which capture the flavor of the era. This is strictly journalistic in intent; it has choppy transitions and an abrupt ending, but it's great to browse, and will be helpful to researchers.