Few scholarly historians have attempted to present a thorough account of the evolution of all the diverse forms of life and endeavor in the city during a given period. Few have moved from the preparation of detailed sketches to the creation of a sweeping portrait encompassing all the contrasting colors and tones of a metropolis. In The New Metropolis Edward K. Spann has attempted this challenging task and has produced a rich and rewarding history. Politicians and merchants, rich and poor, do-gooders and thugs, all inhabit the pages of Spann's volume. It is an encyclopedic view, a work ambitious in conception and masterly in presentation. Reviews in American History