More than just portraying the internal dynamics of a political party, Not All Politics Is Local affords the reader an insight into political life and the contributions to society made by local parties. For Angel, political parties do more than register voters and win elections: they engage the public in dialogue and challenge citizens to take responsibility for their government.

Largely forgotten by historians, Billy Wilson (1822–1874) was a giant in his time, a man well known throughout New York City, a man shaped by the city’s immigrant culture, its harsh voting practices, and its efforts to participate in the War for the Union. For decades, Wilson’s name made headlines—for many different reasons—in the city’s major newspapers.