A History of New York: From the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty is Washington Irving's exuberant mock-chronicle of colonial New Amsterdam, narrated by the fictive antiquarian Diedrich Knickerbocker. Blending burlesque historiography, learned parody, and comic epic, the book transforms local Dutch colonial history into a richly satirical meditation on authority, antiquarian pedantry, and national mythmaking. Published in 1809, it stands at a formative moment in American literature, when writers were seeking distinctively American subjects and tones. Washington Irving, born in New York City in 1783, was deeply shaped by the city's hybrid past and by the literary culture of the early republic. His wit, legal training, journalistic experience, and familiarity with European satirical traditions enabled him to invent Knickerbocker as both comic mask and cultural instrument. The book reflects Irving's fascination with memory, urban identity, and the absurdities hidden within official history. Readers interested in early American literature, historical satire, or the invention of New York's cultural mythology will find this work indispensable. It is both entertaining and intellectually agile, rewarding those who enjoy comedy sharpened by historical insight. This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience. - A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing. - An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand-picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Autorentext
Jack Sendak began writing at a very early age, collaborating with his brother Maurice in writing, illustrating, and binding their own story books, which they then lent out to family and friends. His love for books grew out of the bedtime foltakes his father, Philip, told every evening. Reviewers called Jack Sendak's books humorous, magical, and mysterious.
Maurice Sendak’s children’s books have sold over 30 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages. He received the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are and is the creator of such classics as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, Higglety Pigglety Pop! and Nutshell Library. In 1970 he received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration, in 1983 he received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association, and in 1996 he received a National Medal of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the arts in America. In 2003, Sendak received the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an annual international prize for children’s literature established by the Swedish government.
Klappentext
This carefully crafted ebook: "A History of New York: From the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty (Complete Edition - Volume 1&2)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.
Knickerbocker's History of New York, From the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty is a work of history, disguised as satire, which was published in 1809 by the American writer Washington Irving under the pseudonym Dietrich Knickerbocker. The full title of the work is "A history of New York, from the beginning of the world to the end of the Dutch dynasty. Containing, among many surprising and curious matters, the unutterable ponderings of Walter the Doubter, the disastrous projects of William the Testy, and the chivalric achievements of Peter the Headstrong, the three Dutch governors of New Amsterdam: being the only authentic history of the times that ever hath been published." Irving draws an unflattering image of the settlers of the colony New Nederland and the Dutch are drawn as lazy pipe smokers of little minds. The work is considered a satire on the political leadership of the United States.
Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of George Washington and Oliver Goldsmith, and several histories of 15th-century Spain, dealing with subjects such as the Moors and the Alhambra. Irving served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain from 1842 to 1846.
Leseprobe
TO THE PUBLIC.
"To rescue from oblivion the memory of former incidents, and to render a just tribute of renown to the many great and wonderful transactions of our Dutch progenitors, Diedrich Knickerbocker, native of the city of New York, produces this historical essay." Like the great Father of History, whose words I have just quoted, I treat of times long past, over which the twilight of uncertainty had already thrown its shadows, and the night of forgetfulness was about to descend for ever. With great solicitude had I long beheld the early history of this venerable and ancient city gradually slipping from our grasp, trembling on the lips of narrative old age, and day by day dropping piecemeal into the tomb. In a little while, thought I, and those revered Dutch burghers, who serve as the tottering monuments of good old times, will be gathered to their fathers; their children, engrossed by the empty pleasures or insignificant transactions of the present age, will neglect to treasure …