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Washington Irving.
Accidentally ran across this and found it amazing.
In late 1809, while mourning the death of his seventeen year
old fiancée Matilda Hoffman, Irving completed work on his first
major book, A History of New York from the Beginning of the World
to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809),
a satire on self-important local history and contemporary politics.
Prior to its publication Irving started a hoax akin to today's
viral marketing campaigns: He placed a series of missing person
adverts in New York newspapers seeking information on Diedrich
Knickerbocker, a crusty Dutch historian who had allegedly gone
missing from his hotel in New York City. As part of the ruse,
Irving placed a notice — allegedly from the hotel's proprietor
— informing readers that if Mr. Knickerbocker failed to return
to the hotel to pay his bill, he would publish a manuscript
Knickerbocker had left behind.
Unsuspecting readers followed the story of Knickerbocker and his
manuscript with interest, and some New York city officials were
concerned enough about the missing historian that they considered
offering a reward for his safe return. Riding the wave of public
interest he had created with his hoax, Irving — adopting the pseudonym
of his Dutch historian — published A History of New York on December 6,
1809, to immediate critical and popular success. "It took with the
public," Irving remarked, "and gave me celebrity, as an original work
was something remarkable and uncommon in America."
[from Wikipedia]
The term "knickerbockers" was eventually given to the short type
pants common to the Dutch in that time. It is now also applied
to New Yorkers, and is the team name of the New York Knicks
basketball franchise.
As the Wiki article said, the beginning of viral advertising — long before the internet!I don't know for sure about letting people know but my guess is that it all came out eventually.Evidently Desperately Seeking Susan was written by a writer named Leora Barish. And I just wonder if she got the idea from Irving, or the personals she looked at in the newspaper, or both. Would be interesting to ask her.
Thanks for that piece of history, Edward. Irving was smart—created his own publicity and didn't have to pay too much to become famous! Wonder if he ever informed the general public about his hoax?
I love your informative posts Eddie!I did not know …….:love:I love learning new things! thanks! :up:
:up: great post, Ed … I've read Irving's Columbus book and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow … I remember well … his Columbus book took me away when I was a boy … I always loved tis one … and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was fun … luckily there's The Gutenberg Project … I guess I will read his New York History in English … 😀 … I love free E-Books
@ Darko.The idea is the half of it, for sure. The rest is just carrying the idea through. :up:@ Angeliki.It's our Opera Knickerbocker! :p from NYC. I didn't know that at all about the NY Knicks. Yeah, I hear ya, I love those on-line books. I generally hate to read on the computer (even though it's the only real reading I do these days) but for looking things up, i.e. research kind of stuff, if I need Plato I've got Plato — right on the net, in entirety. Can't beat that with a stick!
Nice story. This is the proof that idea is the most important step in someone`s success :up:
Wow. False advertising started a LONG time ago.:D:lol::heart:
Oh, might call it a little teaser too. Gotta grab em in!Speaking of which, I notice that Clint Eastwood is sure taking his damn time about stopping by here and buying the movie rights to one of my stories. What's with that, anyway?:p:lol::heart:
Well, let's go get 'im, Pardner!:D:heart:
We'll get Chuck Norris to go with us just to make sure he really understands…:D
Forget about Chuck Norris. Let's get John Wayne!:love::lol::heart:
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
:p you sure know more than I do!:lol:I still try to learn the difference btwn football and baseball! 😆 😮 I do know all about tennis …I bought tkts for the US open :happy:
Well don't worry about the difference. Just concentrate on the balls. :p
w00t! you are a wise man!I aim to focus on the real thing! and that's the balls! 😆
:lol:You betcha!
Follow the balls, follow the balls. I'll bet the history of advertising would be very interesting research.
My date took me to a high school basketball game once. This one guy made an almost full court goal and I was cheering him on. Kenneth finally told me—–that guy plays for the other team—-not ours. hahahaha.
:lol:My favorite balls line is Rodney Dangerfield in Ladybugs, where he opens the back of that mini-van and sees all the soccer balls in there and says "All I can say is that it takes a lot of balls to play soccer." 😆
😆 you guys are killing me!Now I have to post on "balls":p
I HAD wondered all this time why the Fugg an NBA team would call themselves in essence the New York Short Pants. I see now that Knickerbockers are also New Yorkers.So, would that make Angeliki the … Greek Knick?
@ SuntanaI guess it would! 🙂
PSwhen I hear "clean balls" I will always associate them with literature :lol::doh: edited …
You know Angeliki, you might say that it was this post that "got the balls rolling.":p
ROFL 😆 😆 😆 you guys are funny! :p
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
absolutely!I even added it in my post :p** see the first line! :yes:
@ SuntanaHmmm. I would say more like Brooke Shields hair. Or Paget Brewster. @ AngelikiThis is literature. More like associating big balls with great literature. :p :pJames Joyce = Big ballsMickey Spillane = Very big ballsDr. Zuess = Green balls and hamOkay, I'm done now. Blame it on the heat! 😆
:lol:I will give the vote to Dr.Seuss :pan off topic question,*not literature but medicine :p*heat makes them droopy,no?
The Greek Knick with beautiful perfect Jessica Alba hair.
:lol:Chuck,I m sure it will not be too early…you need "a work out time" and a shower….PS:o I am a morning person,5:30 am to be exact!PS2without make up on I look like a teenager :lol:you might not even recognize me :p PS3:( sorry Eddie,we somehow turned the "balls" into "hair" :lol:PS2
😮 guilty as charged!
Edward, my reference is to the specific Pic of Jessica Alba that Angeliki put in my Blog yesterday and said that's how she looked in the mornings. We were "talkin' hair."
So, Angeliki, if we ever meet … let's make sure it's early in the morning, Okay? Right around when the clock strikes Jessica Alba Hair O'Clock.
I can't believe that's almost 2 years old and I hadn't seen it. I try to watch out for Brooke after her depression. Not sure what I could do about it, but I worry.
Big hair?All — right! Break out the photos of Debbie Mazar and Marissa Tomei!And the young Nicole Kidman!PS I think droopage is more related to — uh — lots of use. :p
it will be more accurate than the weather channel! :lol:butI will spare you the trouble :lol::devil:
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
:lol:yes ,i.e. cold, hot, water (another Seinfeld classic with Georgie boy 😆 ) , fever…….. you guys! you really have a reason to be careful down there! it is like the weather station attached to your body ;p
PS Have a photo for youhttp://static.thehollywoodgossip.com/images/gallery/brooke-shields-and-daughters.jpgOh :heart: beautiful!
:lol:If you want I can PM you with a daily Weather Report. Ha! :p:p
very pretty! :up:thanks for sharing!
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
she is fine Eddie,she is doing more theater these days….http://www.broadway.com/buzz/152836/raul-esparza-and-brooke-shields-to-star-in-la-premiere-of-new-musical-leap-of-faith/
I concur. Brooke Shields does look pretty & cute in that Cat Suit. :up:
Yes, I'd put the cat smiley up but I forget the code for it! 🙂
Wow I'd like to see that!(Thank you)
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
:cat: it is the cat code Eddie :)in her case the "tiger" :p
I don't have the smiley menu on the blackberry. If it's not in my head…it ain't gonna smile! :cat: :cat: :cat:
I saw the episode of The Middle — twice — in which Brooke plays their totally skanky neighbor. And including wearing daisy dukes (whoa! I likey!). ROTF.Considering that Patricia Heaton is 5'2" and Brooke is 6'0", I don't think that's quite going to work! And Heaton was actually standing on something too. 😆 :lol::cat: :cat:
yes…. I see what you mean…is that a tattoo Brook has in her right side of her belly?
Yeah and it looks like one a bit lower, too. :p And then there's the mullet hair-do. :p :pI think they were just kinda like those paste-on tats that the kids get.Just can't imagine her with real ones. 😥
:sherlock: I have to investigate later………..if it is real ,I promise not to tellya!
Nah, gotta know the truth. No matter how much it hurts! Keep me informed! :up: