How The Other Half Lives

In the book How the Other Half Lives, is the most touching and sympathetic book that anyone will ever read. Written by Jacob Riis, who was a poor immigrant himself, based this book on the poor living conditions he lived. Being an immigrant, it was hard for Jacob to find work. He had no money; therefore, he lived in police station lodging houses and shelters of all sorts. As soon as he found a successful job being a police reporter, he began writing and lecturing to inform people what a disgrace many people went through, including him. Jacob Riis experienced poverty early in his life and it was sad to know that many middle and upper class people did not know what he and as well as other people went through.

"How the Other Half Lives is one of those unusual books that changed history in a material way, directly affecting the lives of millions of people. Jacob Riis wrote it for no other purpose than to call attention to the horrendous living conditions of the poor in New York City and to insist on reform" (p. ix)

In the year 1887, Flash Photography was invented. "...that provided Riis with a powerful new resource...photography the horrors of slum life..." (Jacob A. Riis). He soon started talking photographs of people who lived on the streets and who slept on the floors. Using the photos as evidence, he would present slideshows to middle class workers who instantly showed sympathy toward the photos of the unfortunate. At that moment they finally knew and understood the suffering of the poor.