Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York [Paperback]

Kenneth D. Ackerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 21, 2005

Among the monumental characters who ascended to impossible renown and influence in the history of American politics, few are more fascinating than Boss Tweed; and few working historians could record in more vivid detail his astonishing career than Kenneth D. Ackerman—an investigative historian of the first order. Ackerman's vibrant, accessible, and altogether captivating Boss Tweed is a biography of the legendary figure who "bribed the state legislature, fixed elections, skimmed money from city contractors, and diverted public funds on a massive scale." During his reign at Tammany Hall and then in a variety of elected posts, including as U.S. senator, Tweed wielded almost total control over New York State and City politics, before his unparalleled zealotry and remorseless disregard for the law led to his imprisonment. Yet, as the author shows, Tweed's positive political contributions have been largely overlooked. From one of the most talented new historians to have emerged in recent years, this book presents a thrilling story of the master manipulator who tried to make all of New York the instrument of his own ruthless ambitions, and succeeded—for a time. More than sixty photos and political cartoons by Thomas Nast are featured throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. William Marcy Tweed didn't invent graft, but he rigged elections and stole from the public on an unprecedented scale, gaining a stranglehold on New York City and amassing a vast personal fortune. By the early 1870s, he and his "ring" had skimmed between $25 and $40 million from the municipal treasury, a staggering amount even in an era notorious for robber barons and market manipulators. Ackerman, the author of The Gold Ring: Jim Fisk, Jay Gould, and Black Friday 1869, a book about two other Gilded Age scoundrels, deftly chronicles Tweed's epic rise and ultimate disgrace, giving us a nuanced portrait of the "Boss." Early in his career, Tweed brilliantly recognized that he could win power by mobilizing New York's teeming working-class and immigrant wards. Through patronage and largesse, Tweed recruited an army of ballot-box stuffers who helped install his cronies in office, allowing him to award jobs and contracts to friends while punishing enemies. Tweed's ring borrowed vast amounts on the city's tab and spent lavishly on such public projects as Central Park, making Tweed "the city's grand benefactor, Santa Claus with a diamond pin." But while Ackerman gives Tweed his due, describing how the Boss's machine aided the poor and helped modernize a crowded, chaotic city, the author is too clear-eyed to present his subject as a latter-day Robin Hood. Ackerman's Boss Tweed robbed everyone-and kept plenty for himself. And ultimately, Tweed's corruption and fiscal recklessness had crippling consequences for the city long after he died, penniless, in jail. In the end, this book is not only a compelling look at the colorful yet ruthless man who invented the big city political machine, it is also the gripping story of how dedicated newspapermen and zealous reformers brought down a notorious kingpin.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Bookmarks Magazine

For historians, Tweed "is worth his weight in gold" (New York Times). Ackerman, who has written previous books on Gilded Age excesses, focuses on the years after 1870 when Tweed hopscotched between court and jail. Critics agree that Tweed, his cronies, and the crusading journalists responsible for his spectacular downfall come alive. Colorful details and a clear-eyed approach to both Tweed’s great leadership and even greater crimes highlight his opportunist philosophy and antics, though his formative years remain a mystery. A poor sense of chronology, combined with failures to address revisionist claims that Tweed was an "honest grafter" and examine his effect on the "soul of modern New York," weaken the book. Despite these flaws, Boss Tweed is an excellent history with modern-day parables.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 438 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (December 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078671686X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786716869
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #973,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm Ken Ackerman and writing history has been a passion of mine for over twenty years,and politics an obsession since the 1960s. To me, history has to have a purpose, to expose truth, to point direction, to provoke thought. It has to tell a story.

I'm especially drawn to neglected topics like the Gilded Age, the post-World War I Red Scare, or old ocean divers -- blind spots in our collective memory that often point to raw nerves.

When not writing, I practice law in Washington, D.C. at OFW Law. Before that, I held a long line of political spots on Capitol Hill (staff counsel to two US Senate Committees, Governmental Affairs and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry) and in two Administrations (under Bill Clinton at the US Department of Agriculture and under Ronald Reagan at a regulatory commission called the CFTC).

But enough about me. Hope you enjoy the books. Humor me on the attitude. -KenA


Check out my web site at www.KennethAckerman.com

Check out my blog at www.viralhistory.com

Contact me at [e-mail]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boss Tweed comes alive, February 8, 2005

By 

Lewis Morrison - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York (Hardcover)

"I recently got my hands on an advance copy of Ken Ackerman's new BOSS TWEED book and stayed up all night to finish it. It's that good! Ackerman blows to bits all the tired old stereotypes about Tweed and brings the old Boss into vivid focus, an awesome presence that jumps off the pages. It's a story of highs and lows, pride and tragedy, backroom deals, treachery, ambition, and politics played with raw abandon. Thomas Nast (his cartoons are everywhere in the book), the New-York Times, and Sam Tilden all figure prominently, but with unexpected twists. In the end, Ackerman makes no excuses for Tweed's crimes, but still finds a core of integrity in the man that carries the story. Politicians today, the sorry lot they are, could learn a few good tricks from old Boss Tweed."

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The man who left a permanent stain on political wheeling dealing, July 3, 2005

By 

Peter Lorenzi (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York (Hardcover)

This is an enlightening, meticulous story of William "Boss" Tweed and, as past of the context, his three key cronies in the ring: Peter Sweeny, Richard Connolly and Oakley Hall. It is a story about how the New York Times elevated itself by getting the goods on corruption and bravely exposing it on the front page. Oh how the mighty have fallen!

The time of power (terror?) for Tweed's edition of Tammany Hall was relatively short, but Tammany Hall power lingered well after Tweed's demise, another eithy-five years. The critical moment to the story is when Tweed engineers the proverbial license to steal by devising a new charter for New York City, putting the power in the hands of his incredibly greedy ring of thieves. The four took this opportunity to carve out a fortune for themselves, primarily by paying millions of dollars for a courthouse that should have cost a few hundred thousand to build. A disgruntled 'whistleblower' (the term had no meaning back then) copied over the records in enough detail to demonstrate the bold theft and fraud. There are several versions of how the blockbuster story of the padded expenses and outright theft came into the Times' hands, but the remarkable part of the story is just how brazen the "Ring" could be, how convinced they were of their own invincibility or ability to bribe, cheat and steal their way out of any legal investigation or hearings. People who today believe we live in an era of unbridled corporate greed and ethical lapses need to read this book to better understand how much the supposed watchdog and people's friend -- the government -- can be part of the problem and a barrier to the solution.

The cast of characters, sinners, (few) saints, and masses of immigrants makes following the flow of the book sometimes a challenging task. Thomas Nast, a pivotal character if not the hero of the book, provides some vivid, visual signposts. Nast not only draws a compelling picture for often illiterate 'readers', he was one of the first to put a face on public figures who heretofore had not been subjected to portraits or paparazzi as are today's politicians. Nast's giving Tweed a face may have been one of the breakthrough aspects of this story. It certainly helped catch Tweed when he jumped bail. A few maps, perhaps some old drawings, and even a list of key characters could have perhaps clarified some of the story or reduced my thumbing back to previous pages or checking the index for the entry and bio of important members of the cast. There are some historic New York Times front page stories that help create atmosphere and context.

Any reasonably educated American should have learned at least the sketchy details of Tweed's nefarious deeds and Nast's colorful cartoons. Ackerman does an excellent job of documenting and detailing, filling in the gaps, and bringing now faded, black-and-white characters back to life.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Subject Matter, Great Book, March 28, 2005

By 

Stuart Gardner "www.sdgardner.com" (Fair Lawn, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York (Hardcover)

The illustrations prompted me to buy this book, political satire and cartoons fascinate me. Thomas Nast and Harpers Ferry produced some exceptional work on Boss Tweed. Even less balanced than journalism of today - editorial cartoons had superb artwork and were very vicious.

The author provides a well written, lucid and balanced portrait of a politician who was very corrupt (by any standard) but achieved alot. The courthouse he was responsible for building (and was sentenced in)is a great monument for Tweed; most ironic.

The author demonstares well the long term impact Tweed had on New York City. Great book - an empathetic account of a fascinating man.