Before publishing his pioneering book How the Other Half Lives - a photojournalistic investigation into the poverty of New York's tenement houses - Jacob Riis (1849-1914) spent his first years in the United States as an immigrant and itinerant laborer, barely surviving on his carpentry skills until [...]

First published in 1890, Jacob Riis's remarkable study of the horrendous living conditions of the poor in New York City had an immediate and extraordinary impact on society, inspiring reforms that affected the lives of millions of people.[...]

Published in 1890, "How The Other Half Lives" was an instant best seller in the United States. This critical edition is based on the 1901 edition of the work, provided by The Jacob A. Riis Collection of the Museum of the City of New York. 'Contexts' includes a section on Riis in his own words in add[...]