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Knickerbocker's History of New York
Washington Irving
Book Overview:
Washington Irving, an author, biographer, historian, and diplomat, completed his first major work, a satire of contemporary local history and politics entitled A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker in 1809. Prior to its publication, Irving started a promotional hoax (not unlike some modern-day publicity stunts?) by placing fake missing persons advertisements in local newspapers asking for help in locating Diedrich Knickerbocker. As a continuation of the hoax, Irving also published a notice purported to be written by the proprietor of the hotel where Knickbocker was staying, in which he threatened to publish a manuscript “left behind” by Knickerbocker if the hotel bill was not paid. From “The Author’s Apology”: “The main object of my work, in fact, had a bearing wide from the sober aim of history, but one which, I trust, will meet with some indulgence from poetic minds. It was to embody the traditions of our city in an amusing form; to illustrate its local humors, customs and peculiarities; to clothe home scenes and places and familiar names with those imaginative and whimsical associations so seldom met with in our new country, but which live like charms and spells about the cities of the old world, binding the heart of the native inhabitant to his home.” - (Summary by lubee930 from the text and adapted from Wikipedia)
Washington Irving, an author, biographer, historian, and diplomat, completed his first major work, a satire of contemporary local history and politics entitled A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker in 1809. Prior to its publication, Irving started a promotional hoax (not unlike some modern-day publicity stunts?) by placing fake missing persons advertisements in local newspapers asking for help in locating Diedrich Knickerbocker. As a continuation of the hoax, Irving also published a notice purported to be written by the proprietor of the hotel where Knickbocker was staying, in which he threatened to publish a manuscript “left behind” by Knickerbocker if the hotel bill was not paid. From “The Author’s Apology”: “The main object of my work, in fact, had a bearing wide from the sober aim of history, but one which, I trust, will meet with some indulgence from poetic minds. It was to embody the traditions of our city in an amusing form; to illustrate its local humors, customs and peculiarities; to clothe home scenes and places and familiar names with those imaginative and whimsical associations so seldom met with in our new country, but which live like charms and spells about the cities of the old world, binding the heart of the native inhabitant to his home.” - (Summary by lubee930 from the text and adapted from Wikipedia)
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Having satisfied himself by this ingenious experiment that the natives were an honest, social race of jolly roysterers, who had no objection to a drinking bout, and were very merry in their cups, the old commodore chuckled hugely to himself, and thrusting a double quid of tobacco in his cheek, directed Master Juet to have it carefully recorded, for the satisfaction of all the natural philosophers of the University of Leyden—which done, he proceeded on his voyage with great self-co. . . Read More
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Community Reviews
In every reader’s life there are a few books which seem to come out of nowhere at just the right moment to surprise and delight and affirm your hope that there are still treasures lurking in the double-stacked shelves. This was that sort of book for me.
Published in 1809, the young Irving’s book is
Historians, philosophers, politicians, lawyers, and Yankees are but a few who receive the ire of Diedrich Knickerbocker, the presumed author of this history of Dutch New York.
But Knickerbocker is a narrator and character created by Washington Irving (as early audiences didn't necessarily know). Tha
Eine schwere Geburt
Cómo me costó terminar este libro. Horrores.
Esta historia es una sátira de la fundación de Nueva Ámsterdam hasta su conquista por los ingleses.
Dividido en 7 libros, la publicación en sí es una historia aparte. Creo que fue de las primeras técnicas marketing medio guerrillero aplicado.
El primer li
Este libro prueba dos verdades universales: La primera es que, por más que te guste un autor (y en mi caso, conecto mucho con Washington Irving) no tienen por qué gustarte todas sus obras, ni ser todas merecedoras de cinco estrellas. La segunda, es que el humor es algo difícilmente extrapolable, no
If you’re looking for a hard and fast factual account of New York and the areas immediately surrounding the metropolis, this is probably not the book for you.
However, if you want a slice in time, time capsule, full of satire, irreverence and sprinkled with just enough facts to make it entirely beli
DNF'd at 50%. I gave it a good solid try but it just wasn't for me. It's not bad enough that I want to give it one star, there were a few interesting and redeeming moments, but not enough for me to sacrifice my reading time to its altar anymore.
If you're looking for a real history of New Amsterdam, look elsewhere. (I'd recommend Russell Shorto's "The Island at the Center of the World"). However if you have enjoyed Irving's gently humorous tales of "Rip Van Winkle" and the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and are looking for more in the same vein,
La prosa satírica del siglo XIX tiene un buen ejemplo en este libro de Washington Irving. Elabora una "mitología" sobre la historia de la dominación holandesa de Manhattan. Divertida a ratos, en otros un esteticismo excesivo hace que el avance de la narración se atasque.
En todo caso, es interesante