Rating: 
Summary: Excellent readable non-fiction!
Review: After seeing "Gangs of New York", I was very much interested to learn more about the world of Five Points, but I didn't want an overly academic book to read nor an overly dumbed-down book. Anbinder provided just the right mix for me. His writing shows that he did significant amounts of research. However, there are certain stories that are left with loose ends. Like what happens to Jacob Riis? What about the little orphan Joseph that's found in the park? Other than this annoyance, the story of Five points from 1607 when it was first settled to the 1700s, when it was just an open grassy area where cow-herders took their cows to get watered, to the more famous slums of the mid to late 1800s and then to Chinatown and Little Italy of today, this book's a beautiful story that's told by Anbinder.
Rating: 
Summary: Five points brought to life
Review: Although modern history is not my forte, I have lived in Manhattan and was thoroughly entranced with the ambiance of the place. Within a short hour of people watching in Central Park one can hear a dozen different languages; nearly every street has the emotional intensity of a state fair in other cities; and every block seems to have a character all its own. It was to get a sense of the history of the place that I chose to read Five Points by Tyler Anbinder. I wasn't disappointed. Although I found some of the political history of the time somewhat dull, most of the other material was of more interest. As one of the other reviewers mentions, the book is almost a sociology text of life ways. It reminded me of the gang studies done by early sociologists. As a history, Five Points is probably one of the more site intensive works I've read short of an archaeological work. The number and variety of the primary sources is impressive: newspapers, personal journals, biographies and autobiographies (even something by Charles Dickens), early records of the city council, the sanitation department, the police department, census data, church records, legislature from other countries, estate records in Ireland, etc. It was amazing to see a picture created of an era from scraps of information gleaned from such diverse sources. The effort must have been monumental. The author takes a topical rather than a chronological approach to the area, although there is still a general sense of the progression of time, especially during the last chapters that discuss the ethnic change of the area. This method certainly ensures that issues of social interest are addressed and don't simply get lost in a mere march through events. As the titles of the chapters suggest (The Making of Five Points, Why They Came, How They Lived, How They Worked, Politics, Play, Vice and Crime, Religion and Reform, Riot, The Civil War and the End of an Era, The Remaking of a Slum, Italians, Chinatown, and the End of Five Points) the topical approach more clearly and thoroughly discusses the phenomenon of Five Points than just a simple recitation of what happened after what. Some of the photojournalism of the time is also impressive. For some readers whose families perhaps arrived by way of New York and struggled for existence in conditions like this, the photos will be particularly moving. For those who have arrived more recently, such as the Hmong in my own community, the trials of everyday life in a new country may well be familiar even today.
Rating:
Summary: A big story of a small area
Review: Although modern history is not my forte, I have lived in Manhattan and was thoroughly entranced with the ambiance of the place. Within a short hour of people watching in Central Park one can hear a dozen different languages; nearly every street has the emotional intensity of a state fair in other cities; and every block seems to have a character all its own. It was to get a sense of the history of the place that I chose to read Five Points by Tyler Anbinder. I wasn't disappointed. Although I found some of the political history of the time somewhat dull, most of the other material was of more interest. As one of the other reviewers mentions, the book is almost a sociology text of life ways. It reminded me of the gang studies done by early sociologists. As a history, Five Points is probably one of the more site intensive works I've read short of an archaeological work. The number and variety of the primary sources is impressive: newspapers, personal journals, biographies and autobiographies (even something by Charles Dickens), early records of the city council, the sanitation department, the police department, census data, church records, legislature from other countries, estate records in Ireland, etc. It was amazing to see a picture created of an era from scraps of information gleaned from such diverse sources. The effort must have been monumental. The author takes a topical rather than a chronological approach to the area, although there is still a general sense of the progression of time, especially during the last chapters that discuss the ethnic change of the area. This method certainly ensures that issues of social interest are addressed and don't simply get lost in a mere march through events. As the titles of the chapters suggest (The Making of Five Points, Why They Came, How They Lived, How They Worked, Politics, Play, Vice and Crime, Religion and Reform, Riot, The Civil War and the End of an Era, The Remaking of a Slum, Italians, Chinatown, and the End of Five Points) the topical approach more clearly and thoroughly discusses the phenomenon of Five Points than just a simple recitation of what happened after what. Some of the photojournalism of the time is also impressive. For some readers whose families perhaps arrived by way of New York and struggled for existence in conditions like this, the photos will be particularly moving. For those who have arrived more recently, such as the Hmong in my own community, the trials of everyday life in a new country may well be familiar even today.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, but just misses
Review: As some other reviewers have said, Anbinder's exhaustive detail (especially on the convoluted NYC politics of the 1800s) causes this to drag a bit, and the organization leaves something to be desired. In particular, there's little sense of what's happening in adjacent neighborhoods, both the better ones and the other slums, at the same time as the various Five Points developments occur. The general chronology is also skimped on a bit - a timeline appendix would help. And, incredibly, there isn't a fourth map, one that shows today's Chinatown/Foley Square area overlayed with a dotted outline of the old Five Points streets - this would really come in handy and provide some closure. Overall though, this is a very interesting treatment of a time now long vanished, of a New York where the worst slum in the city could exist for decades a mere 3 or 4 blocks from City Hall! You can bet that the next time I get that far downtown, I'm going to be prowling Baxter, Mulberry, and Worth Streets trying to imagine 150 years ago!
Rating:
Summary: A Tough But Rewarding Read
Review: First off, I must point out that I work about eight blocks away from the infamous Five Points intersection in New York City. Also, I am very familiar with American history. With these two points mentioned, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed and learned alot from this book. If you are considering reading "Five Points", it is very important that you assess beforehand what you hope to get out of this book. It has the potential to be either VERY rewarding and informative to you OR, to bore the life out of you and make you want to fling it in the trash! This book is certainly NOT for the casual reader. It is remarkably detailed and meticulous in research chock full of 66 pages of footnotes and a small font, select bibliography of five pages. I had the great advantage of being able to walk over on my lunch hour and follow the included maps around the neighborhood to see where these locations were and, in some cases, see the still standing buildings mentioned in the text. If you are not from New York City or familiar with it's history, this book can be painfully tedious. If this book was a college course, I would estimate it to be either of the 300 or 400 level. Some may take issue with the way the material is arranged. Trying to write about a whole neighborhood with so many layers of diverse history is no easy task. I personally enjoyed the format once I got used to it. Anbinder starts each chapter with a prologue vignette of a few pages describing an event or person who well exemplifies the topic following in the main chapter. I found myself going back at the end of each chapter and re-reading the prologue with the new information just gleaned in mind. The chapters cover the historical making of the Five Points neighborhood, why the neighborhood inhabitants originally (mostly the Irish before the Civil War) came there, how and where the residents lived there, how they worked and what they did, the politics the neighborhood was involved in over the years, the diversions and entertainment found in the neighborhood, types of vice and crime seen there, religion and reform issues (including extensive accounts of the activities of the Five Points Mission and the House of Industry), the infamous riots the neighborhood was a part or cause of (mostly in the 1850s), the neighborhood changes underway during the Civil War and the rise of Tammany Hall, the remaking of Five Points after the Civil War as Italians became more prevalent, the life and activities of the Italian majority in the 1870s and 1880s, the influx of Chinese to the neighborhood and the making of Chinatown, and the activities of Jacob Riis and other reformers towards the eventual demolition of much of Five Points in the 1890s. The author fills in some background information on discussed topics, but it helps greatly to be already familiar with the era's history. Examples would be needing to know the basics of Andrew Jackson and his "Democrats" before fully understanding the causes and issues relating to the rioting so common in Five Points before the Civil War or, familiarity with what Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall was. Some may also quarrel with the need for extensive statistics about the nationality makeup of individual Five Points tenements or the amount of money in residents bank accounts over the years, but extreme details such as those give insights to how New York City has become what it is today. Causes of the rise of the modern fire and police departments, some unions, gangs, and building code details are just some of the contemporary NYC realities that can trace a significant portion of their origins to Five Points. With the previously mentioned warnings in mind, I highly recommend "Five Points" to the ravenous history student. This is no beach read or intro to Five Points. It is thick and heavy like cheesecake, but make sure you know that you love cheesecake before trying this supreme example!
Rating:
Summary: A Tough But Rewarding Read
Review: First off, I must point out that I work about eight blocks away from the infamous Five Points intersection in New York City. Also, I am very familiar with American history. With these two points mentioned, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed and learned alot from this book. If you are considering reading "Five Points", it is very important that you assess beforehand what you hope to get out of this book. It has the potential to be either VERY rewarding and informative to you OR, to bore the life out of you and make you want to fling it in the trash! This book is certainly NOT for the casual reader. It is remarkably detailed and meticulous in research chock full of 66 pages of footnotes and a small font, select bibliography of five pages. I had the great advantage of being able to walk over on my lunch hour and follow the included maps around the neighborhood to see where these locations were and, in some cases, see the still standing buildings mentioned in the text. If you are not from New York City or familiar with it's history, this book can be painfully tedious. If this book was a college course, I would estimate it to be either of the 300 or 400 level. Some may take issue with the way the material is arranged. Trying to write about a whole neighborhood with so many layers of diverse history is no easy task. I personally enjoyed the format once I got used to it. Anbinder starts each chapter with a prologue vignette of a few pages describing an event or person who well exemplifies the topic following in the main chapter. I found myself going back at the end of each chapter and re-reading the prologue with the new information just gleaned in mind. The chapters cover the historical making of the Five Points neighborhood, why the neighborhood inhabitants originally (mostly the Irish before the Civil War) came there, how and where the residents lived there, how they worked and what they did, the politics the neighborhood was involved in over the years, the diversions and entertainment found in the neighborhood, types of vice and crime seen there, religion and reform issues (including extensive accounts of the activities of the Five Points Mission and the House of Industry), the infamous riots the neighborhood was a part or cause of (mostly in the 1850s), the neighborhood changes underway during the Civil War and the rise of Tammany Hall, the remaking of Five Points after the Civil War as Italians became more prevalent, the life and activities of the Italian majority in the 1870s and 1880s, the influx of Chinese to the neighborhood and the making of Chinatown, and the activities of Jacob Riis and other reformers towards the eventual demolition of much of Five Points in the 1890s. The author fills in some background information on discussed topics, but it helps greatly to be already familiar with the era's history. Examples would be needing to know the basics of Andrew Jackson and his "Democrats" before fully understanding the causes and issues relating to the rioting so common in Five Points before the Civil War or, familiarity with what Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall was. Some may also quarrel with the need for extensive statistics about the nationality makeup of individual Five Points tenements or the amount of money in residents bank accounts over the years, but extreme details such as those give insights to how New York City has become what it is today. Causes of the rise of the modern fire and police departments, some unions, gangs, and building code details are just some of the contemporary NYC realities that can trace a significant portion of their origins to Five Points. With the previously mentioned warnings in mind, I highly recommend "Five Points" to the ravenous history student. This is no beach read or intro to Five Points. It is thick and heavy like cheesecake, but make sure you know that you love cheesecake before trying this supreme example!
Rating: 
Summary: I wish the book was as interesting as its subtitle
Review: Gee, this sounds off like such a negative comment, but I wish the book lived up to the hectic, colorful, and unpredictable nature of its subject. I was hammered by useless stats that were out of touch with the immediate subject. AND YET, this book should be regarded as invaluable to any student of the area or of 19th century urban politics. Get passed the stats, and you got yourself and easy read.
Rating:
Summary: RICH IN HISTORY
Review: I enjoyed reading "Five Points" for the historical data it contained on a most interesting city, even to one who is not an American. Perhaps our American friends to the south are familiar with the information this book contains; however, for one who has not studied American history in detail the book proved to be quite enlightening. It is hard to imagine the abject poverty, squalor, violence and filth that prevailed in Five Points, especially when one considers the style and class often found in New York City today. Yes, every city has its share of impoverishment and homeless, even today, but none is so heart-rendering as the living conditions revealed in Five Pints. While the book was certainly worth reading, the one major flaw seemed to be the disorganized chain of events. I found myself flipping back and forth through the pages to determine the proper sequence of events and to clarify just what happened at what time. In addition the writing style was somewhat dry in parts, and for these reasons the book lost a couple of stars in the writing. However, the book is not a lengthy one and it does contain some interesting and intriguing historical facts.
Rating:
Summary: Five Points is Worth Five Stars
Review: I had heard about the Five Points neighborhood of New York City a number of years ago, but had little familiarity with it other than that it was a slum area. The name originated where the intersection of five streets took place. This location eastward from Baxter Street, across Mulberry, Mott, Pell, and The Bowery. Roughly the area of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Author Anbinder provides us with a lengthy (441 pages) account of the history of the neighborhood mainly during the 19th century in which immigration into the United States led to the conditions connected with living in tenements. Overcrowding led to disease due to poor sanitation practices. People living in tenements took in additional boarders to help pay for the rent required by owners of the buildings. Parents often used their children to raise money on the streets during the day to be used by the parents to support their alcohol habit, and if the required amount of money was not raised the child faced a beating when he arrived home. A part I especially enjoyed was the story of Jacob Riis and his eventual success in winning the love of his life and his publication of his book "How the Other Half Lives" which brought about awareness of the plight of people living in such squalid conditions. Irving Berlin and Jimmy Durante began musical careers in this area of Manhattan, while others such as Johnny Torrio rose to infamy as gangsters. I did find the part about the politics of the Five Points area to be tedious, but that is not the fault of the book, but rather my lack of interest. Immigrants coming to this country from Ireland or any other country found the living hard, but hard as it may be to believe, an improvement over living conditions in Europe where many people died from the potato famine. Yes, the book is a rather long read, but one that gives a good description of living conditions that immigrants had to put up with when arriving into this country.
Rating:
Summary: What a Find ! !
Review: I read this book about a year ago after "finding" it at a warehouse sale.I had not heard of it before;but was taken by the dust jacket and a quick glance.What a surprise,I almost couldn't belive how much I enjoyed it.As I said, I'd not heard of it or for that matter,the author.Here's a case where you can tell a book by it's cover.Then to my surprise we got all the publicity about a movie "The Gangs Of New York".So,off I went to see the movie,and Lo and Behold,it's basically the same story! There is much more detail in the book;but if your fort is bloody violence,movies like "the Untouchables" and "The Godfather"were more like Sunday School picnics.Both the book and the movie are good in their own ways.This book gives a good view of the Irish immigration in NYC up to the time of the civil war.It details in NYC what Kenelly does worldwide in "The Great Shame"
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