Curt Gentry has written a history of the bawdy houses in San Francisco from the middle of the 1800's to the middle of the 1900's. In doing so, he has written so much more. He has explained much of the political attitude of the city and the history of how it originated. I like the quotes from many original sources and the backgrounds on the journalists, leaders and society of the day. Sometimes it becomes complicated to follow, and others just tedious.
The book doesn't hide the truth of prostitution, that its origins are slavery, abuse and poverty, men taking advantage of women who have no other recourse for survival, disease which killed so many women early in life, and the drug and alcohol abuse which enabled them to live with their profession, but it isn't focusing on that. The impression is that it should be read about with a broad wink. However, I'm sure that along with all the horrors, there were also characters, and the author tries to give an idea of both. ( )