What do You think about Maggie: A Girl Of The Streets: And Other Tales Of New York (2000)?
I bought this book on my birthday. And started reading it on Halloween. Unfortunately, it remained in my bag or shelf untouched for a couple of months. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets has a gritty depiction of life in a growing New York City in the late 1890's. Along with Maggie, there are some Tales of New York. The tales of "The Broken Down Van", "An Experiment in Misery", "An Experiment in Luxury" and "The Adventures of a Novelist" somehow didn't make any sense to me and the rest did. I didn't read "George's Mother" because of two reasons. First, it's a long time and I need to move on to other books. Second, it's going to be another Maggie. What made me to stay on and read of what's left is the realism and the colorful tales of New York City before it became the city we know today.
—Joshua Emil
One thing a reader would instantly see in Crane's works is the vividness of his prose. Maggie is, without doubt, one of the most intensely animated writings I have ever read, classic or modern. The setting is so overpoweringly real and natural that reading just the first three chapters easily transported me into a place so poor and deprived that my heart just went out for Maggie and Jimmie as if they were real children. What is missing in the narrative, however, is the depth of characterization. It is not clear how Maggie, and Jimmie, has been affected psychologically and emotionally by her environment. Is she really a "bad" child/person? What are her motives for running away? Is she really in love with Pete? Maggie is definitely overwhelmed by Pete's "magnificence", but her actions and thoughts barely go beyond this impression. What are her greatest fears? Her dream? These are missing. Nothing is also said about how she actually meets her fate at the end of the story. In the process, the story didn't read complete. I actually felt disappointed when I reached the last chapter.
—Shari
[Maggie, a Girl of the Streets; An Experiment in Misery; When a Man Falls a Crowd Gathers]I loved Crane's writing. His eloquence juxtaposed perfectly against the vernacular of the late 19th century New York City slums. He captured the daily life of the the people, many immigrants, and gave the reader a deeper look into the lives and thoughts of the lower/working class during the turn of the century. The stories themselves were not fantastic and I mean that in the sense of plot because these stories were told in a tone of realism and naturalism, unconcerned with embellishing or excitement. Really, Crane's writing is what kept my attention throughout his short stories. Definitely worth a read if you're interested in a true depiction of American life in turn of the century New York and one of the first examples of a writing style that sough to truly capture the American-immigrant experience.
—Lauren Mcclusick
