THE BOOK IS DESIGNED TO EXPOSE THE MECHANICS OF CORRUPTION AND THE MANEUVERINGS OF CORRUPTERS IN ORDER TO AID UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CITIES WORK OR DO NOT WORK TODAY. BASED LARGELY ON TRANSCRIPTS OF THE TRIALS OF MARCUS AND THE OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE SCANDAL, THE BOOK DESCRIBES THE BACKGROUNDS AND INTERACTIONS OF THE MAIN FIGURES INVOLVED PRIOR TO AND DURING THE SCANDALS. DIALOGUES ARE RECONSTRUCTED FROM THESE TRANSCRIPTS. THE INITIAL ILLEGAL ACTION BY MARCUS IN CONNECTION WITH HIS OFFICIAL ROLE WAS ARRANGING FOR AND ACCEPTING A BRIBE IN CONNECTION WITH A CONTRACT FOR DRAINING AND CLEANING THE JEROME PARK RESERVIOR. LATER SCANDALS INVOLVED THE CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY. PERSONS HAVING A HAND DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN THE CORRUPTION INCLUDED MARCUS, SOME OF HIS PERSONAL FRIENDS, RACKETEERS, BUSINESSMEN, AND POLITICIANS. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)