Description: Steffens' "Tweed Days in St. Louis," published in McClure's magazine in October 1902, is considered the first work of muckraking journalism. Subsequent articles published by McClure's as a series were gathered in book form as The Shame of the Cities, which remains stubbornly timely and prescient more than a century later.
Brief description: Lincoln Steffens (1866-1936) was one of the leading muckraking journalists of the early twentieth century. Born in San Francisco, he traveled all over the world writing about progressive politics and ideas before returning to California at the end of his life.