Fiorello H. La Guardia may have been the greatest leader of urban government in American history. His tireless enthusiasm and talent for getting things done ranks him as a giant in the pantheon of American political leaders. Thomas Kessner's book, on the balance, does a good job describing what made La Guardia tick and how he tried to improve the city. Readable, informative.

I recently finished reading this book for an Urban History course in grad school, and Kessner does an adequate job of presenting and analyzing statistics regarding the mobility index of Italian and Jewish immigrants in NYC. He spends very little time, however, looking at the non-material aspects of the "American dream" that Horatio Alger promised. I would have appreciated a more inclusive study of the humanistic history of immigration, although such an endeavor is quite difficult. Overall, I applaud Kessner for his efforts and will keep this book as a reference for future urban studies...

Thomas, Caroli & Kessner, seem to have done a remarkable evaluation of the entire immigrant picture. I believe every individual in America, today, needs to familiarize themselves with the wonderful information, and discover the lure that America has , as well as, recognize our country's role in the world arena. Too many of us take for granted our inalienable rights, and many more of us, probably don't even know the depth of these rights, to make them our own reality. I especially like the way the authors capture the Indochine and Korean influx, as they are very recently, one of the most visible minorities present in urban life. Read their story and understand the dynamics of their decision to make America their home. This book lets the reader get to know all people on a human level. Great Job!