CITY ROOM; For Houses of Ill Repute, a 19th-Century Guidebook to Their Reputations.

Encyclopedic in breadth but compact enough for the vest pocket of a 19th-century gentleman on the go, the book was an insider's guide to Manhattan, easily picked up at the newsstand before a night on the town, much the way tourists and local residents now consult a guidebook when they are in the mood for a memorable restaurant or meal. Only this palm-sized book, published in 1870 and long hidden away at the New-York Historical Society, did not confine its anonymous critique to the quality of wines or the ambience of the 150 establishments listed between its covers. Rather, it defined its role as delivering ''insight into the character and doings of people whose deeds are carefully screened from public view.'' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]