Washington Irving

Astoria; Or, Anecdotes of an Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains (eBook, PDF)

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

Astoria is a history book published in 1836 by Washington Irving. The full title being "Astoria: Or, Enterprise Beyond the Rocky Mountains". The book was commissioned by John Jacob Astor as an official history of his company's 1810-1812 Astor Expedition to Oregon. The book became a bestseller in 1836 and at the time was required reading in some schools.

The book describes the people and events related to the establishment of Fort Astoria as a fur trading center in 1811. Much of the book is devoted to chronicling trips financed by John Jacob Astor by sea and by land to and from this location near the mouth of the Columbia River. The hardships endured and the resourcefulness displayed by these pioneers are amazing. Washington Irving was asked to write this book by Mr. Astor, who provided the author with a lot of correspondence and other information to consolidate and organize. The author gives a lot of praise to Mr. Astor, who was a friend of his, but representatives of Mr. Astor who made questionable business decisions that seemed inconsistent with his vision are sharply criticized. The author is clearly biased in his treatment of Mr. Astor; but most, if not all, of the praise appears to be warranted.

If your interest is in the early discovery of the west, the fur trade and the affect on native americans and all early accounts of the natve americans, different tribes and the affect of the first white visitors on those tribes. The immense difficulties of the first white explorers. Also, the origin and life of american legend John Jacob Astor and his vision to take over the western fur trade. If you enjoy the early explorer, lewis and clark, mountain man, native american genra this book is required enjoyment.
 

Produktdetails

• Verlag: iOnlineShopping.com
• Erscheinungstermin: 6. April 2019
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9788832575583
• Artikelnr.: 56246023

Autorenporträt

Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 - November 28, 1859) was an American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820), both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of George Washington, Oliver Goldsmith and Muhammad, and several histories of 15th-century Spain dealing with subjects such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors and the Alhambra. Irving served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain from 1842 to 1846. He made his literary debut in 1802 with a series of observational letters to the Morning Chronicle, written under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle. After moving to England for the family business in 1815, he achieved international fame with the publication of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. in 1819-20. He continued to publish regularly - and almost always successfully - throughout his life, and just eight months before his death (at age 76, in Tarrytown, New York), completed a five-volume biography of George Washington. Irving, along with James Fenimore Cooper, was among the first American writers to earn acclaim in Europe, and Irving encouraged American authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Edgar Allan Poe. Irving was also admired by some European writers, including Walter Scott, Lord Byron, Thomas Campbell, Francis Jeffrey, and Charles Dickens. As America's first genuine internationally best-selling author, Irving advocated for writing as a legitimate profession, and argued for stronger laws to protect American writers from copyright infringement.