The author, Otto Bettmann, of the Bettmann archives uses illustrations from various publications of the past to make his point that perhaps things weren't as rosy in the fabled "good old days". Examples include widespread corruption and crime, filth and pollution, disease and contagion, life under no standards of food production whatsoever. An eye-opening look at what is often glossed over when rhapsodizing about our history.
Bettmann known as "The Picture Man," was the founder of the Bettmann Archive. Bettmann is considered to have "virtually invented the image resource business-Wikipedia
