Chants Democratic: New York City and the Rise of the American Working Class, 1788-1850 Book

I got through most of this. Very deceptive...it looks so small! I'll skip through this in nothing flat, one thinks to one's self. And then...tiny type. And the material is not my favorite. I try to like labor history, but I may have to admit that in the end, I just think labor history is boring. Sorry, working class forebears.
Wilentz has interesting things to say here about this artisan republicanism, and how everyone in the early republic claimed the "Inheritance of the Revolution." Journeyman artisans say that the republican spirit comes from independent workers, their bosses say it comes from capitalism, they both agree it has nothing to do with black people or women...the antics and mayhem of the American experience ensue. It was also sort of remarkable to me how limited this story was to New York City proper. I have read a decent amount about what was going on in upstate New York during the time frame of this book, but judging from this you wouldn't think anything that went on upstate had any effect on the city at all. Maybe it didn't. Seems odd though.
Also makes one think- can New York City history illuminate American History? Or is it too special, too different? In an American History survey class, how much time should be spent on a very particular spot like New York? It seems like it would be easy to dismiss..."well, it's New York, it's a special case." And yet it is the biggest city hereabouts, and certainly very influential.