The Making of an American by Jacob A. Rees is a poignant and impressive book that reveals the lives and struggles of immigrant poverty in late 19th-century New York. The author offers the reader to rise to the height of the poor quarter of New York at that time and feel all the immediate difficulties and hopes of the inhabitants of this city region. The book reveals the life stories of people who are trying to find their place in a big city, where every day is a struggle for survival and a decent future. "The Making of an American" leaves an unforgettable impression and prompts to think about the important issues of justice, equality and dignity of every person.