33 episodes

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 Knickerbocker 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)

Knickerbocker's History of New York, Vol. 1 by Washington Irving (1783 - 1859‪)‬ LibriVox

    • Arts

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 Knickerbocker 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)

    Introduction

    Introduction

    • 7 min
    The Author's Apology

    The Author's Apology

    • 8 min
    Notices

    Notices

    • 4 min
    Account of the Author

    Account of the Author

    • 20 min
    To the Public

    To the Public

    • 12 min
    Book I, Chapter I

    Book I, Chapter I

    • 13 min

Top Podcasts In Arts

Post Malone
Katie Brown
Glad We Had This Chat with Caroline Hirons
Wall to Wall Media
The Power Of Habit!
Sepehr
New Podcast Trailers
Amazingly Brilliant Pty Ltd
IZUBA WEDDING PLANNERS
UGANDA WEDDING PLANNER
What Should I Read Next?
Anne Bogel

More by LibriVox

Notes From The Underground (version 2) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 - 1881)
LibriVox
Little Mermaid, The by Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875)
LibriVox
Measure For Measure by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
LibriVox
Imitation of Christ, The by Thomas à Kempis (1380 - 1471)
LibriVox
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (1775 - 1817)
LibriVox
Spurgeon's Sermons May 1858 by Charles H. Spurgeon (1834 - 1892)
LibriVox