How the Other Half Lives

More about the book

Focusing on the harsh realities of poverty in 19th-century New York, the work is a pioneering example of muckraking journalism. Jacob A. Riis, a Danish immigrant, documented the dire living conditions of the Lower East Side, using his experiences as a police reporter to expose the squalor of disease-ridden tenements. Originally published as an article in 1889 and later expanded into a book, it played a crucial role in raising awareness and prompting housing reforms. This reproduction of the original 1890 edition includes numerous illustrations.