WithanIntroductionbyRosemaryO'Day.LondonLabourandtheLondonPoorisamasterpieceofpersonalinquiryandsocialobservation.ItistheclassicaccountoflifebelowthemarginsinthegreatestMetropolisintheworldandacompellingportraitofthehabits,tastes,amusements,appearance,speech,humour,earningsandopinionsofthelabouringpooratthetimeoftheGreatExhibition.Inscope,depthanddetailitremainsunrivalled.Mayhewtakesusintotheabyss,intoaworldwithoutfixedemploymentwhereskillsaredecliningandinsecuritymounting,aworldofcriminality,pauperismandvice,ofunorthodoxpersonalrelationsandfluidfamilies,aworldfromwhichregularityisabsentandprosperityhasdeparted.Makingsenseofthisenvironmentrequiredcuriosity,imaginationandanovelistseyefordetail,andHenryMayhewposs-essedallthree.Nopreviouswriterhadsucceededinpresentingthepoorthroughtheirownstoriesandintheirownwords,andinthisundertakingMayhewrivalshiscontemporaryDickens.Topassfromonetotheother,writesoneauthority,istocrosssidesofthesamestreet.