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A History Of New York
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A History Of New York
Published to popular acclaim in 1809, this satire, considered the first important contribution to American comic literature, was Washington Irving's first book. It begins by relating the creation and population of the world, including the discovery of what would become New York. It ends by recording the eventual fall of the Dutch dynasty.
Hardcover, 516 pages
Published
by Twayne Publishers
(first published 1809)
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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 a satirical novel/history of the Dutch New Netherlands, ostensibly written by a crotchety old fellow named Diedrich Knickerbocker – and printed by his former landlord after the author mysteriously dis...more
Published in 1809, the young Irving’s book is a satirical novel/history of the Dutch New Netherlands, ostensibly written by a crotchety old fellow named Diedrich Knickerbocker – and printed by his former landlord after the author mysteriously dis...more
When you pick up a written work by Washington Irving, read it and then attempt an evaluation of the whole, it’s a little like critiquing Gennaro Lombardi on how he made pizza or trying to improve upon a Stradivarius violin. It can’t be done, it should not be! One may annotate on such, but not, at any rate review the accomplishment in the strictest sense of the term. Such genius is what it is, and exists to be enjoyed and appreciated by all who may.
There are countless contemporary printings of I...more
There are countless contemporary printings of I...more
Not a real history; more a satire loosely based on real people and events.
Some parts drag on too long and some of the jokes are a little obscure. Others of the jokes have aged very well. I laughed out loud every few pages, and kept marking juicy passages. If you like Mark Twain, you'll probably like this. Helps to have familiarity with classical literature, which Irving is using as a foil and pattern.
A representative passage: The more enlightened and humane generation of the present day have ta...more
Some parts drag on too long and some of the jokes are a little obscure. Others of the jokes have aged very well. I laughed out loud every few pages, and kept marking juicy passages. If you like Mark Twain, you'll probably like this. Helps to have familiarity with classical literature, which Irving is using as a foil and pattern.
A representative passage: The more enlightened and humane generation of the present day have ta...more
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, then you'll enjoy his apocryphal "History of New York". The work is not only a broad satire of the Dutch era in New York -- foggily understood in Irving's day -- but also of the overblown style of ma...more
I was inspired to read this after plowing through Elizabeth Bradley's new book "Knickerbocker," which tracked the influence of Irving's writing on the culture of New York City in the 19th century. In hindsight, I should have just stopped with Bradley. Irving's sense of humor doesn't really translate well across the centuries. On the other hand, I guess if you love Irving's short stories and other tales, you'd love this, too.
Irving's lampoon and serio-comic retelling about the creation and governing of New Amsterdam is damn funny. The prose style takes a little awhile to get use to, but Irving's keen sense of humor shines through, making him the Jon Stewart of his age. The incompetence of government, the fumbling strive for power, and the sheer lunacy of bureaucracy makes this work seems just as relevant today as it was in 1809.
Considering when this was written the book is surprisingly fresh and funny. As a historian, I especially liked the way he poked fun at historians and their feelings of self importance. Unfortunately, the jokes started to seem repetitive and I found myself counting the pages to the end.
I'd recommend it to anyone interested this period in history or literature or poking fun at history or the classics, but it's not a book that everyone will love.
I'd recommend it to anyone interested this period in history or literature or poking fun at history or the classics, but it's not a book that everyone will love.
May 31, 2008
Brady
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who like history, fake history. Probably fans of Hamiltonian perspective.
This is apparently the first comic American novel ever. I don't know how much of that ended up coloring my view, giving it 4 stars instead of maybe 3. There is definitely some very funny stuff in here - social commentary, fake history, perspectives on history, etc. But I felt the book dragged a bit as it went on - the style, of course, is very different, but also I think the specific satires (take that, President Jefferson) are lost on me as a modern reader. But still, you have to appreciate a b...more
This book is incredibly funny! I hadn't read any Washington Irving in years but clearly, it's time to revisit his work.
I absolutely adored Irving's burlesque New York history. His explanations about the beginning of the world are very funny, and his observations around the Dutch colonists are quite amusing. Told in the persona of Diedrich Knickerbocker, Irving creates a fictitious view of New York's early times. He also gave the world Knickerbocker himself, a pen name that continues to be an icon. It is a very fun read for NY history buffs, lovers of Irving, and mythology/fables.
I would have liked this more if I was more knowledgeable about the colonial history of New Netherlands, but that tends to get set aside for the more exciting revolutionary history that followed it. However, Irving's semi-informative parody of New York and overblown histories retains plenty of humor for the modern reader, regardless of familiarity with the topic at hand.
attempted to read, but it's more of a satire on history than a history of new york (at least the beginning is). not really what i'm into, so i stopped reading it.
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Third of public-domain classics I never read from Project Gutenberg read on my iPod using iBooks software.
This is the 1927 Harcourt, Brace And Company, Inc. edition.{this verbatim restoration of the 1809 text includes all appendices up to the final 'AUTHOR'S APOLOGY' appendix from the revised edition, xi-xiv, of 1848 } What a treat to 'thumb and chuckle over by the family fireside.'
A parody on the early history of New York.
I appreciated the humor, but I would have liked a little more of the actual history of New York. Some names are recognizable, though.
I appreciated the humor, but I would have liked a little more of the actual history of New York. Some names are recognizable, though.
The humor/satire of this work is as applicable today as when written. Some parts do drag a bit, but well worth the read!
Dude, this is totally where Dave Eggers got his table of contents format for Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius...
Rip Van Winkle is my favorite.
great character sketches
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Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of George Washington, Oliver Goldsmith and Muhammad, and several histories of 15th-centu...more
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