Washington Irving

Washington Irving (1783-1859) was born in New York City and became the first American writer to achieve international literary fame. After studying law, he turned to writing, publishing the satirical A History of New-York under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. His breakthrough came with The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819-1820), a collection of essays and stories that included the enduring classics "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Irving's graceful, humorous style and use of American settings and folklore helped establish a distinct national literary voice. He later served as U.S. minister to Spain and wrote historical works such as A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Irving's legacy endures as a pioneer of the short story form and a key figure in the development of American Romanticism.