About book Boss Tweed: The Rise And Fall Of The Corrupt Pol Who Conceived The Soul Of Modern New York (2005)
This is a very well researched historical account of one of the more fascinating figures in New York politics. Some of the details are tedious hard to pin down, such as the legal hair-splitting involved in Tweed's trials or the exact ledgers and receipts of the expenditures that brought his notorious ring down. Ackerman appears to understand these things better than he is able to describe them. But nothing about Tweed's life is mundane and the author chronicles his outsized life in glorious detail. As a politician who could deliver votes on a scale sufficient to influence the outcome of national elections, there are so many plots and sub-plots in his life that it is difficult to put them all in perspective. Ackerman makes the wise choice to focus mainly on the man and his political organization in New York. Through the aspirations and machinations of figures like Samuel Tilden, Ackerman gives us enough of the give and take to see how Tweed both took advantage of and was victimized by, the political system. Without excusing his faults, Ackerman paints a surprisingly sensitive human picture of Tweed, as a both natural leader and a shrewd manipulator whose main fault was to have the not uncommon feeling that he deserved a share in the wealth he could create for others. Tweed's role as a power-broker is shown as an outgrowth of his reputation among the poor as a man of the people and the admiration of the rich for his ability to "get things done". Tweed carefully burnished these images through the liberal expenditure of borrowed public funds and cared deeply about his personal appearance, even as he aspired to live the life of the indolent rich and took on the corpulent frame that became inextricably intertwined with Thomas Nast's iconic images of him as a corrupt politician.The author's most revealing descriptions are of Tweed's relations with his jailers and former colleagues. He chronicles the reasons for Tweed's sense of being double-crossed, the degree to which he took the brunt of the punishment meted out to his gang and the calculating way he himself was manipulated by those in power once he was out of it. More could have been done to place his complex relations with his family in perspective and to provide an explanation for the loyalties he gave to, and engendered among some of his acquaintances, while others seemed to have had no qualms about rolling him under. There is enough here, though, to both satisfy the idly curious and whet the appetite of the persistently thoughtful.In the end, we are left with an old man in prison, painfully and pragmatically accepting his fate, but never really understanding it. This is a worthwhile portrait of the archetypal political animal that was Boss Tweed and can provide insights into the workings of New York politics even today, as recent headlines have made clear.
Interesting read but only three-star worthy in my book because it spends too much time on the fall and not nearly enough time on the rise of the dominant figure in the Tammany political machine in New York City in the 1860s and 70s.I would have liked more of a focus on how William "Boss" Tweed built up his empire through hard work, courting new immigrants and patronage. When it comes to books about urban political machines/ building and keeping political power, I think I prefer Robert Caro's "The Power Broker" (about Robert Moses and New York) and "American Pharaoh" by Adam Cohen and Elizabeth Taylor (about Richard Daley and Chicago).The book also does not do enough to explain how Tweed "conceived the soul of modern New York" as the title promises. How did he conceive its soul? Assisting immigrants? Through lots of patronage jobs? Generous public works spending on grand projects like Central Park? Keeping taxes low despite high spending through massive borrowing? All these things are hinted at or alluded to but not really explained enough, in my opinion.Still well-written and does paint a vivid picture of how complete Tweed's grip was in city and state politics and his national ambitions. Also does a very good job of showing how much of the anti-Tweed/ anti-Tammany feeling from "respectable" Republicans was wrapped up in anti-Irish immigrant sentiment.By the end of the book you definitely feel sorry for Tweed and are practically cheering for him, especially as he escapes from jail and eludes his captors for many months, in one of the most interesting parts of the book.
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Interesting. Important point in American political history. The book could have used a bit more editing. Tweed and his associates were fascinating political characters who took the people of NYC for millions (and in current dollars, possibly billions). The final chapter offers some useful commentary on the changing dynamics of urban politics, political machines, and the media, but much more could be said about the development of all of these important components of American government and politics. Nice that it was an easy read.
—Jack
I thought this was a very good history of the men of Tammany Hall, the events, and the legacy. Each player was profiled, not just Tweed. How Tammany fit into the culture of the city was well described. It was researched well, and all of the author's sources are cited. Thomas Nast's cartoons illustrated throughout, giving the reader a taste of public sentiment, as well as some comic relief to what could well be a very dry subject. The last third of the book describing Tweed's escape and capture was my favorite. I had really come to sympathize with Tweed by that point, a broken old man with diabetes who knew his best days were behind him. I had read about Tammany Hall when I was younger, but I had no idea of the magnitude of deception and cost. Considering the recent Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme and KBR's no-bid contracts with the US government for work in Iraq, this was a very timely book for me, and I would recommend this for anyone that relishes good dish on governmental and corporate scandals.
—Colin Rush
Boss Tweed is another excellent book on gilded age history by Kenneth Ackerman. This time Ackerman provides a look at one of the most corrupt politicians (in terms of dollars stolen) in American history and looks at how he rose to power and what kept him there. Mostly Boss Tweed is shone for what he was, a ward boss who excelled at corruption and getting his constituents what they want. Even at the time of his trail he was not universally condemned and many argued unjustly imprisoned given his conviction of misdemeanor. It was not until he fled the authorities and his later confession that his reputation began to tarnish. Even then we see Boss Tweed as one of the most infamous figures in Gilded Age history for his detailed political schemes, power triangles, and reckless profiteering from the public till that make him the most intriguing " boss" in political history.This book also take time to introduce the men who tried to bring down William Tweed and the flaws that they brought as well. From New York Times editor to the famous Thomas Nast whose cartoons would help elect a president and destroy Boss Tweed all are explored throughout the book. There are also several reproductions of the various cartoons scattered throughout to gain a look at the effectiveness of each. The start of the "watchdog" press is born in this time and while it would take many years of muckraking to refine it the beginnings are seen here.Overall it is a great book showing the times and the start of many dominant trends in America from investigative journalism, the political boss system, and the shift from local government towards federal for works projects. It is written very well and reads like a fiction story that is easy to follow and a real page turner. Highly recommended for anyone with a general interest in history or politics but for gilded age fans it is a special read!
—Brian
