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The Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving | 
| Author: Andrew Burstein
Publisher: Basic Books
Category: Book
List Price: $27.50
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Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 437734
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 440
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.5 x 1.5
ISBN: 0465008534
Dewey Decimal Number: 818.209
EAN: 9780465008537
ASIN: 0465008534
Publication Date: March 1, 2007
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Condition: Brand new, never opened, in stock, and ships right now.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
A renowned historian explores the life and times of Washington Irving--the beloved author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle Washington Irving--author, ambassador, and Manhattanite--has largely slipped from America's memory, and yet, his creations are well known. Acclaimed historian Andrew Burstein returns Irving to the context of his native nineteenth century where he was an international celebrity--both a comic genius and the first American to earn his living as an author. Irving traveled through Europe and America, excavating tales and writing popular social satire, beloved children's stories, gothic drama, and picturesque history. He gave his young nation such enduring tales as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. His 1809 burlesque, A History of New York, popularized the figure of jolly old St. Nicholas, and gave birth to the modern American Christmas. Irving was the original "Knickerbocker"; he also coined "Gotham" as the name for New York. By showing Irving as a leading architect of the American personality Burstein has managed to reinvigorate the legacy of one our nation's most outsized literary talents as well as to help us better understand the country we live in.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A man who lived during historic times April 19, 2008
R. DelParto (Virginia Beach, VA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a unique book that blends literary analysis, history, and biography of the life of one of American literature's legendary authors, Washington Irving. Andrew Burstein examines a bulk of Irving's most renowned works, the picaresque The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, A History of New York, and Life and Voyages of Columbus as well as several other short stories that have graced the pages of literature anthologies. But Irving was also a man of many facets as the subtitle of the book reveals, a diplomat, historian, and writer who hobnobbed with creative imagination as it related to the colonial and revolutionary historical past.
The only disconcerting aspect of the book is how Burstein excessively delves into the crevices of Irving's works within the first two sections. And as a result, one may almost forget what the book is about or wonder if the book is supposed to be about Irving or more about the synopsis of his stories; the passages may be helpful for readers not familiar with his works. However, interesting questions arise pertaining to Irving's own personal life outside his writings, such as his religious conversion and beliefs, the issue of slavery in Britain and America, the mysticism surrounding Matilda Hoffman and his sexuality, why did he live a transatlantic life, his romance with Spain, and his use of pseudonyms, Geoffrey, Crayon, Diedrich Knickerbocker and Jonathan Oldstyle, that are in need of further explanation.
Nonetheless, the insightful part about the book is when Burstein discusses the man who used pseudonyms during the early part of his writing care but later shed the anonymity with the publication of his biography about Christopher Columbus. And most importantly, Irving was one of the most animated travel writers who trekked west with Henry Ellsworth, son of Federalist delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Oliver Ellsworth, during one of the most historic events in American history that involved Indian territory west of the Mississippi River, which involved Indian Removal, Ellsworth-Irving Expedition. Irving vividly described and witnessed the changing American landscape within his stories that compared and paralleled the history of Indian America and White America, which Burstein discusses in the chapter, "A Tour on the Prairies." It was amazing to read of the various people Irving encountered and befriended during his lifetime, such as Sac Tribe Chief, Black Hawk, Andrew Jackson, James Fenimore Cooper, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, and long list of others.
Overall, The Original Knickerbocker is an enlightening read. The book may appeal to those who are familiar with Washington Irving's most beloved tales and would like to know about the man behind the stories as well as those who are simply curious about this multifaceted man who was indeed a part of the landscape in which he wrote about.
 It's a lively yet scholarly presentation perfect for all kinds of collections. November 3, 2007
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
Any public library strong in biography or school library strong in literature surrounding Washington Irving will find THE ORIGINAL KNICKERBOCKER a 'must have' acquisition: Irving was author, ambassador and an international icon whose legacy lasts into today and set many trends beyond his literary legacy. THE ORIGINAL KNICKERBOCKER traces all his achievements, adding background history of his times to help emphasize his life and importance. It's a lively yet scholarly presentation perfect for all kinds of collections.
 Disappointing biography September 15, 2007
E. Gomez Murga (Spain)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book is dissapointing, at least in Irving's Spanish years. It seems a summary for the school. Burstein doesn't achieve to introduce the reader in the events of Irving's life. The author just say with few words which others tell in great detail. Due to lack of space? The answer is NO, because he fills pages with unnecessary themes from some Irving's books (Colon, Boabdil,...) or general culture. His luck in biographics elements is that all known Irving's letters and journals are already published. The lack of effort of this work serves to value better the thorough investigation of S.T. Williams (1935). Burstein's book is sold as an Irving's biography made by an historian ("at last"), but he seems a mere reviewer, in the era of copy/paste.
 The Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving May 23, 2007
Barbara And Byron Skinner
2 out of 10 found this review helpful
A solid journeyman biography but nothing new and omitted some of Irvings that readers might find interesting such as his life in in NYC and his activity on the Bowery in his early life. Irving was the first American author to earn his living by writing alone. His first work "The History of New York" became his big earner as he revised and printed new editions through his life. The work that he is most remembered for "The Legend of Sleppy Hallow" was writen and published while he was in Europe as part of a folio.
Irving compaired to many if not most writers of his time lead a rather dull and uneventful life. A cliff handing biography of washington Irving would be a challenge for any biographer so we can't fault Mr. Burstein for a rather unexciting story of one of Americas early writers. The biggist event in his life was the none event of his marriage.
A dull depiction of a fascinating man. April 20, 2007
Reviewer
15 out of 20 found this review helpful
I have read one other biography of Irving, most of Irving's work and have two books of his personal notes and journals, so this is not a subject I am unfamiliar with.
First of all it's nice to see someone trying to resurrect this now forgotten but important figure of American Literature. If Americans know him at all, its through cartoons of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Irving is much more - a great wit and merry soul with, as the author points out, a unique combination of romanticism and healthy realism/skepticism.
While I can't find fault with the author's prose, I did not find it inspiring or lively - something I would expect, no, require from anyone writing about Irving. He seems to 'not get' the charm Irving's character - and here's one example:
He tells the famous story of Irving's Scottish maid introducing George Washington to his six year old namesake, Irving. However, he doesn't add in the famous quip by Irving -that his bald spot was the result of the President laying his divine hand on his head (or something like that). Its little details like that that make the story interesting - and a perfect opportunity to illustrate Irving's character.
Nowhere did he go into Irving's influence on other authors: Irving, I understand, is purported to have suggested the "Rebbecca" character in Ivanhoe to Sir Walter Scott, based on an actual Jewish woman he knew or had heard of in Philadelphia. Also, Dicken's admiration of Irving and the fact that Irving's brother was named Ebeneezer should provide a 'connect the dots' for somebody on the ball. [...].
Another glaring omission: Irving's contemplation of pursuing a career as an artist - and the sketches that often accompany his journals.
The Burstein's sometime PC/modern sensibilities were annoying but mercifully few and far between. But he either has a bias or simply didn't do the research into Irving's religious background. While not 'fanatic' or even overtly spiritual - he did convert to Episcopaliansim in secret at trinity church when still a teenager, and later in life served as a vestryman at the Episcopal church in Tarrytown where his personal affects are still on display - how could someone writing a book on Irving not know this? one gets the sense that Burstein never even visited Tarrytown/Sunnyside though I am sure he did. Burnstein doesn't hesitate to go into Irving's condemnation of religious fanaticism and dislike of his father's stern Presbyterianism, so I can only guess that he as an active bias, or he's very sloppy.
I also thought the sections on his stay at the Alhambra and Spain was too short and lacking any vitality. I have stood in the chambers at the Alhambra that Irving was purported to stay in, walked the grounds that so enchanted him and have to say, after doing that, reading Irving's book Tales of the Alhambra, I wonder if Burstien and I are talking about the same place and writer. It's a crime to be mundane about either!
Still overall, I would say the book is worth reading because it's the only contemporary source of consolidated information on Irving (I believe that the last biography was over 40 years ago) however, Burstein does not provide enough of an argument, or 'tools' to justify a long overdue Irving revival. At the end of the day, despite digging his nose into Irving's works and life for some time, Burstein just 'doesn't get it'.
(ps, I would rate two stars, but you can't adjust after submitting)
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