Quinn's Book by William Kennedy
"Quinn's Book," authored by William Kennedy, is a fictional autobiography that transports readers to 19th-century Albany, New York, starting with a dramatic and chaotic day in 1849. The narrative follows fourteen-year-old Daniel Quinn, a skiffman on the Hudson River, who becomes embroiled in a catastrophic event involving a capsized boat and the death of the famed actress-courtesan Magdalena Colon, known as La Ultima. This pivotal moment sets the stage for Daniel’s coming-of-age journey, as he reflects on his artistic aspirations and tumultuous relationship with Maud Fallon, La Ultima's niece.
Kennedy's writing style is notable for its homage to period prose, blending melodrama with humor and historical detail. The novel encompasses significant historical events, including the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, and local labor unrest, all while maintaining a focus on Daniel's personal growth and romantic pursuits. By weaving together fact and fiction, "Quinn's Book" offers a unique and vibrant portrayal of Albany's past, rich in character and narrative depth, distinct from Kennedy’s previous works centered on 20th-century settings.
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Quinn's Book by William Kennedy
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1988
Type of work: Novel
The Work
Many critics have argued that Quinn’s Book should not be considered a part of Kennedy’s Albany cycle. In both style and setting, Quinn’s Book stands apart from Kennedy’s previous works. Though set in Albany, Quinn’s Book shows New York’s capital city as it was in the nineteenth century and marks a break from Kennedy’s previous preoccupation with twentieth century Albany. The style of writing also looks back to an earlier time, often imitating the melodramatic, convoluted rhetoric typical of nineteenth century prose.
Quinn’s Book is a fictional autobiography narrated by Daniel Quinn, who at the start of the book is a fourteen-year-old skiffman on the Hudson River. The book opens on a cataclysmic day in Albany in 1849. A boat crossing the Hudson capsizes after being struck by an ice floe. The legendary actress-courtesan Magdalena Colon, better known as La Ultima, is one of the ill-fated passengers thrown overboard to her death. Her body is heroically pulled from the icy waters by young Daniel’s boss, John the Brawn. Daniel, on a rescue mission of his own, assists La Ultima’s bewitching twelve-year-old niece, Maud Fallon, to safety. Meanwhile, a nearby bridge collapses and more than a hundred onlookers plunge into the frozen Hudson. Calamities continue as the rush of ice causes a tidal wave that, in turn, starts a fire raging through the city. Amid the chaos, young Daniel, Maud, and John seek refuge and rush La Ultima’s body to the grand mansion of one of Albany’s oldest Dutch families. Here, in a frenzy of necrophilia, John resuscitates La Ultima through rigorous intercourse as Daniel and Maud look on with great fascination.
With this apocalyptic start, the novel is set in motion. Daniel reminisces, with great energy, about this important life-changing day, the day he met and fell in love with the beautiful Maud. The rest of the novel tells of Daniel’s fifteen-year artistic and romantic quest as he struggles to become a writer and to forge a union with the elusive and, at times, infuriating Maud. This fictional coming-of-age story takes place against a busy historical backdrop. As a journalist, Daniel is particularly aware of events going on around him, and much of his narrative is devoted to firsthand accounts of these historic moments. The Civil War rages on while the Underground Railroad leads escaped slaves to freedom. Closer to home, unrest grows among local iron-foundry workers, and the New York draft riots break out in 1864. True to the detail and language of the period, all of these events, complete with races at Saratoga and spectacular theatrical productions, take place alongside Daniel’s raucous odyssey. History and fiction are interwoven with authentic rhetorical gusto, using a rich variety of nineteenth century literary styles, ranging from bombastic melodrama to comic sportswriting. With originality and humor, this picaresque novel blends fact and fiction to create a panoramic view of Albany’s colorful history.
Sources for Further Study
Booklist. LXXXIV, February 1, 1988, p. 889.
Chicago Tribune. May 8, 1988, XIV, p. 1.
Commonweal. CXV, May 20, 1988, p. 308.
Los Angeles Times Book Review. May 22, 1988, p. 3.
Maclean’s. CI, May 23, 1988, p. 49.
National Review. XL, August 19, 1988, p. 46.
The New Republic. CXCVIII, June 27, 1988, p. 41.
The New York Times Book Review. XCIII, May 22, 1988, p. 1.
Newsweek. CXI, May 9, 1988, p. 72A.
Publishers Weekly. CCXXXIII, March 18, 1988, p. 71.
Time. CXXXI, May 16, 1988, p. 92.
The Times Literary Supplement. June 17, 1988, p. 680.
The Wall Street Journal. CCXI, May 18, 1988, p. 28.