With a lawyer’s precision and a historian’s depth, Jerman unearths overwhelming evidence to prove, once and for all, that Moore was indeed the true author. Jerman does this by exposing key inconsistencies, including, distinctive linguistic fingerprints which show that Moore’s unique idioms and expressions, meticulously cataloged in his other writings, matched the colorful language of “The Night,” providing an unmistakable literary signature; no contemporary claim as neither Livingston nor his children ever asserted authorship during their lifetimes; a historical mismatch as the poem’s imagery aligns with Washington Irving’s A History of New-York (1812) and Old Santeclaus (1821), sources Livingston could not have used if he wrote the poem in 1808; religious contradictions as Livingston, a Dutch Reformed adherent, belonged to a tradition that rejected Christmas celebrations entirely, while Moore, an Episcopalian scholar, embraced them wholeheartedly; the “Curmudgeon” fallacy where critics painted Moore as too stern to write such a whimsical piece, ignoring his extensive body of lighthearted verse; and more.
Jerman’s writing is eye-opening and informative, presenting each piece of historical information in an engaging and accessible manner. Jerman effectively uses descriptive language to bring the past to life, with an infectious passion and zeal for the topic that shines through the work in more ways than one. In addition, the structure of the book is clear and easy to follow, which goes a long way in making the overall reading experience both enjoyable and educational.
The Fight for “The Night” offers the most comprehensive examination of this literary mystery to date. This book is a must-read for lovers of Christmas lore, literary sleuths, and anyone who cherishes the timeless magic of The Night Before Christmas—after all, knowing who gave us Santa Claus as we know him matters.
