The muckraking journalists were crusaders with a steadfast faith in the power of truth, a strong narrative, and public pressure to spur government action for the good of the people. Their investigative reporting brought attention to hidden problems and issues such as child labor, urban poverty, inhumane working conditions, tenements, business monopolies, and political corruption. This engaging book covers the work and lives of the leading muckrakers, including Lincoln Steffens, Ray Stannard Baker, Upton Sinclair, and Ida Tarbell.