Courtesy Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Washington Irving was one of the most famous American authors of the nineteenth century. While he is primarily remembered for short stories such as “Rip van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” he also penned an extensive biography of George Washington.

Washington Irving was one of the most prolific writers in 19th century America. He was also a lawyer, diplomat, and colonel. His writings, most famously "Rip van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" earned him a place in American literary history as one of the first fairy tale writers in the United States.

Washington Irving (1783-1859) has often been called "the Father of American Literature." He is thought of, for instance, as the first American writer to make his living primarily through his creative work, and he is the first American acclaimed by the English literary establishment as worthy of recognition.