History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Beginnings, Middles & Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing)

Average customer rating:

Great Basic Guide
Extraordinary...
Marvelous Short-Cut to Learning to Write Fiction
A must for aspiring authors
Excellent Advice!

Beginnings, Middles & Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing)
Nancy Kress
Manufacturer: Writer's Digest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898799058

Customer Reviews:

Great Basic Guide.......2007-05-15

This book is terrific for people who are just starting to try to write. It breaks down every initial stumbling block of the craft into small pieces in ways that are easy for inexperienced writers to understand and model. For more experienced writers, it might be useful to see the mechanical process for things one already understands (even innately). However, this is not a stunningly useful book for writers with more than a little experience.

Extraordinary..........2007-05-14

I read "Beginnings, Middles, and Ends" right after reading the (in my opinion) horrid "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card, which seemed to me to be puffed up drivel. Ms. Kress's book was like a breath of fresh air. Her suggestions are helpful, her examples are wonderful without being self-promoting. She has a number of self-guided exercises that were basic and also, as a plus for beginners, build up writing confidence. If you are a beginner, or even intermediate writer, I would suggest not bothering with most of the books on the market on writing and read Ms. Kress's book first. I am a published writer of dark fantasy writing my first novel and found it extremely helpful. Highly recommended.

Marvelous Short-Cut to Learning to Write Fiction.......2007-04-15

John Irving once commented that his experience at writing workshops & conferences taught him things about writing (e.g., voicing) that he would eventually have picked up anyway, but that he saved a lot of time by not having to learn it the hard way. That's the way I feel about Nancy Kress's wonderful Beginnings, Middles and Ends.

First of all -- and this matters -- Kress is a world-class writer of fiction herself. She's famous in the science fiction community, and she deserves to be. So when she, of all people, gives clues about creating good plots, one should listen. She's that marvelous (and rare) combination, a stunning writer who can also teach.

This book uses a very methodical approach, speaking of the different parts of a piece of fiction separately and specifically addressing how they interact. Each chapter really deserves to be read several times, as the attitudes she recommends for writers can solve problems all by themselves. At the end of each chapter is a set of exercises that significantly improve one's ability to interpolate the lessons.

Much of what she says in her book I was beginning to discover on my own, but to see it put into print solidifies and sharpens my view. Personally I was writing several different stories over the time during which I read the book, and I found that it helped instantly. I'm actually stuck on one or two stories right now, and I'm going to dive back into the Kress book to see how she can help me; I know she can.

I'd like to close by mentioning that this book was first recommended to me by a wonderful writer of romantic fan fiction who uses the pen name "st margarets." If you haven't read her stuff, you should; she appears on several online fan fiction archives.

A must for aspiring authors.......2007-04-10

I found this to be a very valuable book! Almost every page got some highlighting. The book is a short, easy read but packed with good information. Kress really breaks it down in terms of what makes a good beginning, how to keep the middle from sagging, and writing an ending that will satisfy readers. The advice is clear and easy to understand. The book also includes lots of info for short-story writers (who often get forgotten in other books). It didn't get 5 stars because there are other books that I feel cover this topic and then some (Plot and Structure, for example). However I have quite a collection of fiction-writing books, so if this was the only one I had, it would have gotten the 5the star. Elements of Fiction Writing is a great series. I recommend it to all aspiring writers, especially Characters by Orson Scott Card.

Excellent Advice!.......2007-02-13

This is a wonderful book to keep around if you're a writer, one of the best in the "Elements of Fiction Writing" series. It helps you plot your story out in a logical manner, in order to make it unified from beginning to end, and as strong and as interesting as it can be. You'll want to read it with a notebook on hand, to take notes for your novel, and you'll probably want to underline and highlight sections, maybe leave Post-It notes on the pages that offer the best advice.

Beginnings: Are you unsure how to start your novel, how to make it intriguing enough that people will keep reading? Do you think you can make your characters interesting and real? What about the style and tone of your writing, can you keep it consistent with the setting and plot? Do you need a prologue?

Middles: Do you have everything plotted out, but somewhere around the middle you lose interest? Are you not sure what should happen next? Are the characters trying to take the story in a different direction than you intended? Or are you just overwhelmed with the idea that you're actually writing a novel?

Ends: Can you make your ending satisfying? Will your climax be logical and realistic, or are you having trouble making it fit with the rest of the story? Can you give the characters closure, or are there too many loose ends? Do you need an epilogue? Are you having trouble with the very last paragraph or sentence of the story?

No matter which part of your novel is giving you trouble, this book will help you set it all straight. It offers excellent advice for beginnings, middles, and ends, as well as unifying your entire novel.

The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones: The Practice of View, Meditation, and Action: A Discourse Virtuous in the Beginning, Middle, and End

Average customer rating:

Very good
The Most Important book on Buddha's path that you will Ever read!
Concise and Comprehensive Manual on Compassion
A truly excellent guide!
An excellent guide to Vajrayana practice in Tibetan buddhism

The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones: The Practice of View, Meditation, and Action: A Discourse Virtuous in the Beginning, Middle, and End
Patrul Rinpoche , and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877734933
Release Date: 1993-01-26

Book Description

In this book, two great Tibetan Buddhist masters of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries challenge us to critically examine our materialistic preoccupations and think carefully about how we want to spend the rest of our lives. At the same time, they provide practical guidance in following the Buddhist path, starting from the most basic motivation and culminating in the direct experience of reality beyond the reach of conceptual mind. The root text is a teaching in verse written in the nineteenth century by Patrul Rinpoche, one of the outstanding teachers of his day. In the accompanying commentary, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991)—lineage holder of the Nyingma school and one of the great expounders of the Dharma in Europe and North America—expands upon the text with his characteristic compassion and uncompromising thoroughness. Patrul Rinpoche's fresh and piercing verses combined with Khyentse Rinpoche's down-to-earth comments offer a concise yet complete examination of the Buddhist path.

Customer Reviews:

Very good.......2007-06-06

This is a very good book, great in fact. The only thing I would point out is that much of it centers around the fact that the author feels it necessary for one to leave their present life, and basically go into solitude to truely progress on their spiritual journey. While this may or may not be the case, many of us are unwilling to do so. For those people, I suggest Thich Nhat Hanh's writings, as they are geared toward people in all circumstances. This is not to say that this book is not of value, it certainly is! It is really quite wonderful and has many great treasures contained within. I merely want people to be aware of this reoccuring suggestion to leave the present hectic life behind.

The Most Important book on Buddha's path that you will Ever read!.......2006-08-10

It has been said by those who know,
that His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet
knows a thing or two,
about a thing or two.

In the forward, the Dalai Lama not only lauds this text
as containing ALL the Essential instructions
to accomplish full enlightenment in one life time,
but he goes on to compare it to an elixir for reviving the dead!

Having had the very good fortune to receive teachings
from every major and many minor Buddhist schools
this simple devotee to the Buddha of Compassion
can concur whole heartedly with His Holiness.

This book is so important,
that I have taken it as my Primary Text
and as such, read it from cover to cover,
Every Single Month.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, wrote this book
from the "Rime" or NON-sectarian approach.
It has something to offer everyone
from wide-eyed beginner to 9th level Bodhisattva!

Too many Americans have gotten distracted
from Buddha's path to enlightenment
by such things as:
Culture, Language, Tradition and Politics.

THIS text was designed to protect the reader
from such foolishness
and keep them alertly aware of what is most important
in their quest to accomplish the path in THIS life!

Many Theravadans and Gelugpas discribe the path of the Sutras
in terms of Renunciation, Compassion and Insight:
Dilgo Khyentse covers these from the perspective
of both a Scholar and a Yogi!

Many Nyingmapas and Kagyupas discribe the path to enlightenment
in terms of View, Meditation and Action
or Ground, Path and Fruition:
both these systems are taught in this text.

Tantra's path is often described in terms
of Generation, Completion and Mahamudra
or Maha-yoga, Anu-yoga and Dzogchen:
again, both these systems are taught in this text.

While NO substitute for the Blessings, Transmissions
and Explanations of a fully qualified lama,
this book is an indispensable tool
for those who long to accomplish Chenrezig in THIS life time.

I enthusiastically recommend this book to all my students,
and I gently urge you to acquire it, dear reader.

And so it is in the spirit of this book's
two Bodhichittas of Compassion and Insight
and it's two Mahamudra's of Sutra and Tantra
that I now wish from the bottom of my heart:

May you dear reader; be happy and healthy,
may you practice skillfully and joyfully,
may you accomplish Chenrezig in THIS life time,
and help many others to do likewise!

Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika

Concise and Comprehensive Manual on Compassion.......2005-05-12

The reader is doubly blessed by The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened ones. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, a Buddhist master of the highest order, gives practical and detailed commentary on a long poem by Patrul Rinpoche, also a Buddhist master of the highest order (see the classic, The Words of My Perfect Teacher). Where Patrul Rinpoche offers punch and precision, Khyentse Rinpoche gives paragraph after paragraph of pointed compassion. Such kindness! This book makes the reader want to be more kind. What better reason to read?

The purpose of Patrul Rinpoche's poem is to present the entire scope of the Buddhist ark in summary form, without leaving behind any essentials. According to Khyentse Rinpoche, this is important because "in this decadent age, because of their limited intelligence and lack of determination, people need to practice the Dharma in an essentialized form" (32). Chenresi (or Avalokiteshwara) practice is recommended for this reason. (Interested? You may wish to give mani wheel, or prayer wheel, practice a try.) Khyentse Rinpoche's assessment of our situation may sound pessimistic but really it's a chance for everyone to dig in and practice Dharma.

According to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, "If you examine closely the ordinary values that underlie your urge to pursue worldly goals and try to discover where they come from, you will find that their source is a failure to investigate things properly" (40). One way into the practice of investigating things properly is Tarthang Tulku's vision of Time Space and Knowledge.

I feel so lucky to have had an opportunity to be exposed to these ideas, and I have reason to believe that all of us without exception would benefit from an increase in compassion.

Homage to all true teachers!

A truly excellent guide!.......2000-01-11

As a beginning practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, I found this book to be an excellent guide to a simple, direct, yet pround practice. Dilgo Khyentse was one of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism and these teachings given not long before his passing are wonderfully fresh, realistic and down to earth about the things one faces in everyday modern life.

The practice it teaches is not difficult but it brings great peace and gives the reader practical ways to deal with the confusions and disappointments of modern life. Dilgo Khyentse was a teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and there is no way to go wrong reading anything he has taught. Of all the books I have read on Tibetan Buddhism, this one is the most helpful and most delightful.

An excellent guide to Vajrayana practice in Tibetan buddhism.......1999-03-18

The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones is an excellent guide for Vajrayana practice according to the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was one of the greatest Tibetan masters of this century. The translator and editor of this book, Matthieu Ricard, is one of the ablest translators today. I was fortunate to receive the teachings in this book as they were given by Khyentse Rinpoche in France in 1986. Under Ricard's expert editorship, I think they have lost none of their freshness and relevance for those curious to know more about Tibetan Buddhism, and also for experienced practitioners who wish to understand the view, meditation and conduct of Buddhism more deeply.

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing)

Average customer rating:

A recommended treatise on the art of writing fiction
Good, but strangely organized
Do as she says, not as she does

Beginnings, Middles, and Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing)
Nancy Kress
Manufacturer: Writers Digest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0898795508

Customer Reviews:

A recommended treatise on the art of writing fiction.......2007-04-23

There are plenty of books offering advice to fiction writers out there. I searched extensively for the top three, basing my selection on the following criteria:

1. Publish date > 1990. America of the 1950s is different from America of the 2000s. What readers want to read is different. You want the current dope. The newer, the better, the more relevant, in general.

2. Recommendations from other writers. If no one cares enough to recommend a book, why bother?

3. The writer offering advice should not be a talented freak, with literary genius, but no knack for teaching or relating to fellow mortals. The writer must come across as likable. Teaching calls on different skill sets than writing. Not every writer is cut out to be a teacher. How do you know who's likable and who's not? Google them, for one. Check their wikipedia entry, if any. Examine other published works.

"Becoming Your Own Critique Partner," by Walters & Toombs, is packed with advice, examples, and information, clearly and concisely explained. I recommend this along with Stephen King's "On Writing" and Nancy Kress's "Beginnings, Middles, and Ends." These books aren't just for writers. A reader can become a more educated reader, a more knowledgeable critic, better able to explain his preferences.

King's book, while immensely enjoyable and, to date, my favorite work by him, when it came to actual advice was rather thin. Also, his advice had a cranky tone, owing possibly to his injuries sustained prior to writing it. His book succeeds at being entertaining, but is not especially elucidating. He prefers to go for the punchline (which more often than not connects) rather than reinforce points he considers obvious. His life in itself is interesting and enlightening, however, and he has wisdom to impart of a higher level than technical mechanics. His stories about his life absolutely must not be missed. Recommended.

Kress's book was excellent, but tends to focus on the big picture (namely, as her title says, "beginnings, middles, and ends"). She is mainly concerned with structure, plot, and scenes. Her examples are rather good. Recommended.

"Becoming Your Own Critique Partner" delves deeply into the gory details. You want the gory details. The little things that mean a lot. Prose style. Not using adverbs, of course (all three books expound upon this cardinal rule), but much more. I found a better explanation of POV (Point of View) in this book than in either Kress's or King's. In fact, every lesson was explained better and more clearly here. This book also has more beef. The others are more on the thin side in regards to advice. Kress's and King's books can serve as needed reinforcements. If you have a team of teachers, that's usually better than just one. My plan is to read each of the three books several times.

Good, but strangely organized.......2004-12-17

This book is part of the Elements of Fiction Writing series. The purpose of the book is to help you with the actual writing of your story. But, how helpful is it? Well, it's rather hard to say.

In fact, this book is a goldmine of helpful information on writing fiction. The biggest problem with the book, though, is its organization. The sections on planning and designing your story actually come in the middle of the book, under "The Middle." The author assumes that you have a story in your head, and you wish to start writing it immediately. After you have crafted the beginning of the story, then you will realize that you need to rethink your story, and will then wish to actually plan the story out. This is not the way I think, so I found the approach confusing and unhelpful.

But, that said, if you are willing to read the whole book with an open mind, collecting information as you go along, and then read it again so that everything starts to fall into place, then you will be richly rewarded for having read this book. Don't get me wrong, if you write the way this author does, you will no doubt find this to be an excellent book. It's just that I don't, and I didn't.

So, overall I give this book a rather guarded recommendation.

Do as she says, not as she does.......2000-10-26

Kress has written a thorough tome on the major sections of novels. Unlike a certain sci fi trilogy she wrote, this manual maintains consistent value to the end. It certainly shines above most of the other Writer's Digest Elements of Fiction series. In a nutshell, the majority of these Elements are poor excuses for writing instruction. But Kress has made her mark, and this one will live long after WD has realized the weak links in its Elements series must be replaced. So ignore the other WD shortcomings, and the implications of the Beggars falterings, and you will be pleased to have purchased an indispensable volume for your reference shelf.

A History Of New York From The Beginning Of The World To The End Of The Dutch Dynasty

Average customer rating:

"How the town of New Amsterdam arose out of the mud"
American Fiction, Humor, Starts Here

A History Of New York From The Beginning Of The World To The End Of The Dutch Dynasty
Washington Irving
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0766185141

Book Description

1809. Washington Irving was the first American literary artist to earn his living solely through his writings and is considered to be the Father of the American Short Story. Irving wrote this satire under the pseudonym of Diedrich Knickerbocker. It has been called the first great book of comic literature written by an American. Purporting to be a scholarly account of the Dutch occupation of the New World, the book is a burlesque of history books as well as a satire of politics in his own time. See other Irving titles available from Kessinger Publishing.

Customer Reviews:

"How the town of New Amsterdam arose out of the mud".......2005-04-16

In 1809 Washington Irving published "A History of New York," the work that make him instantly famous. Conceived as a parody of Samuel L. Mitchill's guidebook "The Picture of New York" (1807), Irving's "History" purports to be written by the fictitious Diedrich Knickerbocker. It was, perhaps, the first American book to be embargoed by the publisher--that is, it was published in Philadelphia to keep its contents secret from the press in New York. Before the book was published, Irving and his friends even coordinated a hoax through the local papers, publishing a series of notices advertising Knickerbocker's inexplicable disappearance: "there are some reasons for believing he is not in his right mind," and "a very curious kind of written book has been found in his room."

The book was such a success that Irving revised it repeatedly during his lifetime, and readers should note which edition they are purchasing. Most recent editions reprint either the original text or the last revision, which are so different that they may as well be considered different works. By the time of the Author's Revised Edition of Irving's collected works, published in 1848, Irving had completely rewritten over a tenth of the book, added about 7,000 words of new material, softened the sarcasm, eliminated the mocking references to Jefferson's presidential administration, removed many risque passages and double entendres, and polished the overall style. The barbs are more personal in the earlier edition; Irving aimed his parody more broadly forty years later. In sum, while the earlier edition was considered more scandalous--even "naughty"--and cheekier in its wit and tone, the last edition is certainly more polished and "mature"--and might be considered by many as noticeably easier to read. (The remainder of this review focuses on the 1809 edition.)

The book's conceit is that the fictitious Knickerbocker, a Dutch descendant, nostalgically mourns the passing of Dutch hegemony on the island of "Manna-hata, Manhattoes, or as it is vulgarly called Manhattan," and he offers a rousing defense (read: mock hagiography) of the Dutch governors. But Irving's satire is aimed not simply at the long-dead colonists of New York; his depictions of various Dutch leaders evoke many of his contemporaries. Thus, Wilhelmus Kleft seems an awful lot like Thomas Jefferson, and Jacobus von Poffenburgh recalls General James Wilkinson (who was caught up in Aaron Burr's allegedly treasonous schemes against Jefferson's government). The "hero" of the book, however, is Peter Stuyvesant, whose glorious qualities are manifold--even if his rule was considered authoritarian and his last act as governor was to rebel against his own king, who had ceded Manhattan to his brother, the duke of York.

Irving, as Knickerbocker, also mocks the pretensions of historical scholarship. He offers philosophical justifications for the obesities of city leaders ("Who ever heard of fat men heading a riot?") and praises the well-honed Dutch civil defense against Yankee encroachments ("Never was a more comprehensive, a more expeditious, or, what is still better, a more economical measure devised, than this of defeating the Yankees by proclamation."). He interrupts his narrative several times with admonishments to the reader or faux biographical meanderings, and, near the end of the book, he acknowledges that his tone has changed from that of a "crabbed cynical, impertinent little son of a Dutchman" to a "most social, companionable regard." Of the many readers that began his book, "some dropped down dead (asleep) on the field; others threw down my book in the middle of the first chapter, took to their heels and never ceased scampering until they had fairly run it out of sight . . . Every page thinned my ranks more and more."

This last self-deprecatory joke is certainly the case for modern would-be readers: Irving's archaic prose can be a slog, and his historical and literary references will perplex even the most arduous. But not all the humor is dated, and quite often patient readers will be rewarded by a comment or pun that may even cause them to laugh out loud.

American Fiction, Humor, Starts Here.......2002-06-05

Washington Irving's A Knickerbocker's History of New York is the single funniest book in American literature. Despite a weak and too-lengthy opening segment on the origin of life and other awkward philosophical questions (the merits of this section are addressed by Irving/Knickerbocker in volume two), once the Dutch colonize the ancient island of Manhattoes (present-day Manhattan), Irving hits a rollicking gallop, going full stride at full speed and doesn't stop until the dubious William the Testy is vanquished at the first volume's end.

"Diedrich Knickerbocker" was arguably the greatest of the several personae Irving adopted during the course of his long writing career. 'Diedrich' penned 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow' and 'Rip Van Winkle,' as well as short stories 'Wolfert Weber,' 'The Devil And Tom Walker,' 'Kidd The Pirate,' and 'Dolph Heyliger.' Irving achieved magic whenever he wrote, but when he steps into Knickerbocker's antique Dutch shoes, the combination of humor, history and folklore that results is unique, sweeping, and highly entertaining.

Few writers could or would dare to write the kind of poetic sentances Irving/Knickerbocker could, such as "the inhabitants were of primitive stock, and had itermarried and bred in and in, never swarming far from the parent hive."

All lovers of American literature and history, and of Americana generally, should know this delightful, warm and amusing book. Too often today, when addressing the origins of American literature and our early writers, we turn to names like Hawthorne and Poe, forgetting that Irving came first and was in fact the first American writer ever to be taken seriously by Europeans. (It was Hawthorne and Poe that paid lip service to Irving, who was born a full 21 years before Hawthorne and 26 years before Poe.) Some historians and critics go so far as to credit Irving with the creation of the short story as a literary form; he was also the U.S. ambassador to Spain, a world traveler, a biographer of George Washington, and at one time requested to run for mayor of New York City (an invitation he kindly declined). Thanks largely to Irving, the New York City and Hudson River Valley areas have a thriving plethora of myth and folklore all their own. As Americans, we owe the dynamic, magnanimous and prolific Irving a great debt, which decade after decade we neglect to pay or acknowledge.

Knickerbocker's History of New York is not difficult reading, though it is too advanced for children and most teenagers. However, any young adult or adult with a love of American history, particularly with an interest in the founding of our country or the American Revolution specifically, will find it fascinating. Humorists will find it a page-turning delight, and send their volumes of Twain back to the library post-haste....

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