Washington Irving
Author · 47 books
Washington Irving (1783–1859) was an American writer. He also published under the pseudonyms Geoffrey Crayon, Diedrich or Dietrich Knickerbocker, and Jonathan Oldstyle. He is best known for the stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which appeared in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon (1820). Irving also wrote essays, travel books, and historical biographies, including works on Oliver Goldsmith and George Washington. His extended stays in Europe and travels in Spain and the American West informed much of his writing. From 1842 to 1845, he served as the United States ambassador to Spain.