Down and Out in Philadelphia and New York by author Garret Thomas Godwin is an introspective look at two great American cities. Godwin, with an omnipotent and candid voice, philosophizes about the modern-day issues that affect these metropolises: poverty, status, crime, education, and ethnicity. Comparing the best and worst of each, Godwin gives the reader a unique and intimate view of their populace and flavor. What makes each city tick? How does the Philadelphia Art Museum compare with New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art? What's better, Philly's soft pretzels or New York's hot dogs? New York's pride and joy is Central Park, but what about the lesser known Fairmont Park in Philly? Discover the nuances between the middle class and upper class in these two major cities, the future of pharmaceuticals, how to mix with the movers and shakers, how to keep from getting mugged, and how to avoid respiratory disease in these pollution-heavy environments. Godwin's comparisons tout the highs and lows of each within a sociological context. With big-city slang and intuitive observation, Godwin leaves it up to the reader to render his or her own opinion: do we really live in a melting pot, or has America reached its crescendo?