Knickerbocker: The Myth behind New York

by Elizabeth L. Bradley

Deep within New York's compelling, sprawling history lives an odd, ornery Manhattan native named Diedrich Knickerbocker. The name may be familiar his story gave rise to generations of popular tributes—from a beer brand to a basketball team and more—but Knickerbocker himself has been forgotten. In fact, he was New York's first truly homegrown chronicler, and as a descendant of the Dutch settlers, he singlehandedly tried to reclaim the city for the Dutch. Almost singlehandedly, that is. Diedrich Knickerbocker was created in 1809 by a young Washington Irving, who used the character to narrate his classic satire, A History of New York . According to Irving's partisan narrator, everything good and distinctive, proud and powerful, about New York City—from the doughnuts to the twisting streets of lower Manhattan—could be traced back to New Amsterdam. Terrific general interest, cultural history of a city with a rich and lively literary past. First-ever book on the eponymous myth that has informed New York City culture since the early 1800s. Coincides with the two-hundredth anniversary of Washington Irving's publication of A History of New York . Perfect gift book or addition to library collection of New York Cityùthemed books. Includes a gallery of images that brings Diedrich Knickerbocker, his myth, time, and place to life Knickerbocker engagingly traces the creation, evolution, and prevalence of Irving's imaginary historian in New York literature and history, art and advertising, from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Who would imagine this satiric character, at once a snob and a champion of the people, would endure for two hundred years? In Elizabeth L. Bradley's words, "Whether you call it 'blood,' style, attitude, or moxie, the little Dutchman could deliver." And, from this engaging work, it is clear that he does. Bradley's stunning volume offers a surprising and delightful glimpse behind the scenes of New York history, and invites readers into the world of Knickerbocker, the antihero who surprised everyone by becoming the standard-bearer for the city's exceptional sense of self, or what we now call a New York "attitude."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, New York

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2009

Reviews

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Washington Irving was arguably the first American fiction writer to achieve fame. Today he’s largely remembered for “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle.” These two short stories were included in his two-volume collection written while living in Europe. Bradley points out here, however, his most lasting impression may well be the pseudonym he used while writing a satirical account of life in New York, Diedrich Knickerbocker. The name was soon adopted to indicate something was from New York.

Knickerbocker: The Myth Behind New York is part an appreciation of Irving and part a micro-history of that part of New York that has laid claim to his epithet. Four roughly chronological chapters take you through Irving’s use of Knickerbocker to indications of how the city adopted his image, and then shaped it to match itself. The process continues into the present day.

New York City is a concept difficult to wrap your head around. As I note in my blog post on the book (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), my own years of commuting there daily gave me only a fleeting glimpse of what the city is. There are many parts I’ve never visited. Still, you can’t spend so much time there without getting a sense of the place and its quirks. This book speaks to those New Yorks that may have been forgotten, but continue to be part of the very city they introduce.

[Matt Heimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thousands, or probably millions, of people like me adopt New York as a hometown without ever digging into its history. This book is a great corrective to that tendency -- a slim, exuberant little piece of cultural history that offers a glimpse into how New York came to see and define itself in the 19th century. The author also pulls off the very neat trick of balancing scholarly seriousness and readability, without succumbing to the breathless prose that sometimes waylays writers of popular history. A great find.

[Elizabeth Bradley]

comes out in July - - great sigh of relief!

[Daniel Greear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by Washington Irving’s tales. He is one of America’s earliest and most prolific writers and his legend continues to this day. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle are absolute classics and are beautifully written. Both depict halcyon days of old, almost like an American version of “Merry Olde England”. They depict beautiful scenes of the Hudson Valley and wealthy and happy Dutch settlers and make one long for such an era in a busy and modern world.

Dietrich Knickerbocker was one of Irving’s pen-names-a fictional Dutch historian who “told” the history of New York and the Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam.

Dietrich Knickerbocker became, and is to this day, a phenomenon. He quickly became the caricature of New York City itself-societies, hotels, beer, and even the NBA team, the New York Knickerbockers or “Knicks”, all use of have used his name. The use of the name has changed over the centuries, from the initial tongue in cheek historian, to nativist/high class identity, to the general identity of New York and New Yorkers themselves.

This book was interesting and short, even if there really isn’t that much subject matter to work off of. I was entertained for its entirety, even though I have no connections to Dutch-Americans or NYC.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nifty history of the "Knickerbocker" name as a label for New York City's natives. What began as a gently subversive joke by young Washington Irving became a marker of wealth and privilege as the nineteenth century wore on. But the term's persistence into the present day, in Bradley's view, suggests how much has remained the same about New York -- how much the city's identity rests on ceaseless self-fashioning.

[Kmkelling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed that it's taken me this long to start reading. Hopefully, Mrs. B will forgive!