The Gangs of New York (yes the movie) was inspired by a book written by Herbert Asbury called, The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld. This book documented the rise and fall of 19th century gangs in Lower Manhattan, in a slum known as the Five Points. This was also home to some notorious gangs, such as the Bowery Boys, led by Bill the Butcher, and their rivals, the Dead Rabbits. These were wild and brutal times, and in all honesty, depicts parts of human nature that have not changed all that much! Listen and enjoy!