Washington Irving: A Treasury: Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Old Christmas

by Washington Irving, Newell Convers Wyeth (Illustrations), Arthur Rackham (Illustrations)

This Irving Collection includes

392 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2012

About the author

People remember American writer Washington Irving for the stories " Rip Van Winkle " and " The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ," contained in The Sketch Book (1820).

This author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle to begin his literary career at the age of nineteen years.

In 1809, he published The History of New York under his most popular public persona, Diedrich Knickerbocker.

Historical works of Irving include a five volume biography of George Washington (after whom he was named) as well as biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and several histories, dealing with subjects, such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra, of 15th-century Spain. John Tyler, president, appointed Irving to serve as the first Spanish speaking United States minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846.

Reviews

[mtschettar]

These books are good on their own. & especially good at thinking about early colonial times.

For Rip Van Winkle, he falls asleep under a monarchy & wakes up in a democracy. How disorientating... as it was for the actual people that lived during that time.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Washington Irving is considered the first "American" author. His stories are rich in imagination, history & description of the years before the Revolution; when the lifestyles of the settlers reflected those of their homelands. This is an outstanding collection of four of Irving's best-known & most-loved tales:"Rip Van Winkle", "Legend of Sleepy Hollow", "Old Christmas" and "Knickerbocker Tales". Highly recommended to anyone who loves reading a good story.