Children of the Tenements

Jacob A. Riis (1849 - 1914)

This is a collection of vignettes about poverty in New York City in the early 1900s. Jacob Riis was a police reporter and a sociologist. He made human the faces of extreme poverty and did not limit his often-wrenching prose to children. He included old people and animals, and described diverse cultures. These stories evoke both laughter and tears.

Genre(s): Short Stories

Language: English

Keyword(s): New York (102), poverty (50), heroism (14), tenements (5), destitution (1), firefighter (1)

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface Judi Mason
00:01:55
Play 01 The Rent Baby Judi Mason
00:18:01
Play 02 A Story of Bleeker Street Judi Mason
00:11:37
Play 03 The Kid Hangs Up His Stocking Judi Mason
00:10:38
Play 04 The Slipper-Maker's Fast Judi Mason
00:04:57
Play 05 Death Comes to Cat Alley Judi Mason
00:05:44
Play 06 A Proposal on the Elevated Judi Mason
00:08:10
Play 07 Little Will's Message Judi Mason
00:17:15
Play 08 Lost Children Judi Mason
00:14:55
Play 09 Paolo's Awakening Judi Mason
00:22:30
Play 10 The Little Dollar's Christmas Journey Judi Mason
00:21:28
Play 11 The Kid Judi Mason
00:04:51
Play 12 When the Letter Came Judi Mason
00:06:30
Play 13 The Cat Took the Kosher Meat Judi Mason
00:05:54
Play 14 Nibsy's Christmas Judi Mason
00:19:10
Play 15 In the Children's Hospital Judi Mason
00:13:17
Play 16 Nigger Martha's Wake Judi Mason
00:09:53
Play 17 What the Christmas Sun Saw in the Tenements Judi Mason
00:25:03
Play 18 Midwinter in New York Judi Mason
00:37:20
Play 19 A Chip from the Maelstrom Judi Mason
00:05:34
Play 20 Sarah Joyce's Husbands Judi Mason
00:04:12
Play 21 Merry Christmas in the Tenements Judi Mason
01:07:23
Play 22 Abe's Game of Jacks Judi Mason
00:05:36
Play 23 A Little Picture Judi Mason
00:02:37
Play 24 A Dream of the Woods Judi Mason
00:09:15
Play 25 Twas 'Liza's Doings Judi Mason
00:18:56
Play 26 Heroes Who Fight Fire Judi Mason
00:59:46
Play 27 John Gavin, Misfit Judi Mason
00:07:20
Play 28 A Heathen Baby Judi Mason
00:07:35
Play 29 The Christening in Bottle Alley Judi Mason
00:07:35
Play 30 In the Mulberry Street Court Judi Mason
00:04:03
Play 31 Difficulties of a Deacon Judi Mason
00:11:34
Play 32 Fire in the Barracks Judi Mason
00:03:57
Play 33 War on the Goats Judi Mason
00:07:16
Play 34 He Kept His Tryst Judi Mason
00:05:52
Play 35 Rover's Last Fight Judi Mason
00:09:22
Play 36 How Jim Went to the War Judi Mason
00:17:26
Play 37 A Backwoods Hero Judi Mason
00:08:23
Play 38 Jack's Sermon Judi Mason
00:13:48
Play 39 Skippy of Scrabble Alley Judi Mason
00:10:50
Play 40 Making a Way Out of the Slum Judi Mason
00:34:15