Knickerbocker's History of New York, Complete

About the book

"Knickerbocker's History of New York, Complete" by Washington Irving is a satirical parody published in 1809. Originally released under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, this work lampoons the early history of New York City and contemporary politics. Irving launched an elaborate hoax before publication, planting missing person advertisements in newspapers about the fictional historian Knickerbocker. The book became an immediate success, establishing Irving's celebrity as an original American writer. Critics have compared its innovative style to works by Sterne, Hawthorne, and Melville.