The Tiger: The Rise And Fall Of Tammany Hall [Hardcover]

Oliver E. Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 19, 1993

The first complete history of America’s most bizarre and longest-running political act. Stories of chicanery and finagling and rigged elections abound in this look at a bygone era in American politics.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Tammany Society, named after a legendary Native American chief, was formed in 1789 to resist an aristocratic political system. In a painstakingly researched study, Allen ( New York, New York: A History of the World's Most Exhilarating City ) traces the 150-year history of Tammany, detailing its evolution from a national organization to a New York City political machine. Tammany's long identification with the Democratic party began in 1817, when Irish immigrants won the right to membership. Associated with graft and violence early on, Tammany's corruption reached a peak during the 1860s when, under "Boss" Tweed's leadership, Tammany fixed elections, sold judgeships and stole $30 million in public funds. Because Tammany reached out to the poor and provided jobs, it was able to ride out scandal until the reform movement of the 1960s ended its long reign. This is a strong contribution to urban studies. Illustrations.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

"When Tammany Hall finally perished, much that was bad went with it. But something was lost, too, and it will be missed." So reads the insipid conclusion of Allen's book, a history of America's most notorious political machine. Formerly a writer for Time-Life Books, Allen tells an old-fashioned story of colorful personalities, sordid scandals, and smoke-filled rooms. Political issues slip by unexamined, and Tammany's economic base is barely considered. Still, unlike his sources, Allen fits the hall's entire history from 1786 to 1961 into a brisk and entertaining volume. Readers may turn to better, if less complete, accounts, for comparison: Morris R. Werner's savagely funny Tammany Hall (1932) and Warren Moscow's The Last of the Big Time Bosses (1971). Recommended for public libraries.
- Gregory Gilmartin, New York
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (November 19, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020162463X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201624632
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Look at Tammany, October 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Tiger: The Rise And Fall Of Tammany Hall (Hardcover)

Allen takes a huge piece of New York history and channels the runnings of not only New York City, but he state and the nation, into a finely woven account of Tammany power. From Burr to Wood to Tweed to Murphy to De Sapio, he looks at both the good and the bad. An even handed account of Tammany Hall

5.0 out of 5 stars I have not read it yet... this is a pre-review., April 2, 2011

By 

elkile "elkile" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tiger: The Rise And Fall Of Tammany Hall (Hardcover)

There are many titles out there regarding Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed, but this is the one I will choose. Oliver Allen is a long time resident of Lower Manhattan and a prolific contributor to our local papers. He is steeped in the history of our city and more specifically, the downtown area where so many of these events took place. I walk by the structure that Boss Tweed built everyday on my way to work. I have always wanted to learn more about it. I can think of no better author from which to learn it. I will post again once I have read it...