New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million

Name: New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million
Author: George Lippard

By George Lippard

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American Literature

About This Book

Multiple interlaced narratives contrast wealthy elites and the city's impoverished masses, tracing sensational episodes that unfold over a single night and its surrounding days. Rural memories and domestic calm give way to subterranean crimes, secret chambers, ritualistic gatherings, kidnappings, and moral revelations; investigations and personal relationships tie the strands together. Scenes alternate between pastoral reflection and lurid urban underworlds, exposing hypocrisy, vice, and attempts at rescue or retribution, and conclude with sunrise consequences that reckon with identity, guilt, and social division.

About the Author

George Lippard

George Lippard was an American author and social reformer active in the 19th century, known for his vivid portrayals of urban life and the struggles of the working class. His most notable work, "New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million," offers a stark contrast between the lives of the wealthy elite and the impoverished masses in New York City. Lippard's writing often combined elements of sensationalism and social critique, making significant contributions to the genre of American Gothic literature. He also wrote "The Mysteries of Florence," which reflects his interest in the darker aspects of society and human nature.