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Sleepy Hollow and Other Short Stories
Very Good Soft cover Rock Paper company. Very Good. Soft cover. 2017.
121 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
About the author
Washington Irving
6,007 books1,101 followersPeople 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
April 6, 2023
1. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
2. Rip Van Winkle
3. The Spectre Bridegroom
4. The Devil and Tom Walker
5. The Pride of the Village
6. Old Christmas:
--- Christmas
--- The Stage-coach
--- Christmas Eve
--- Christmas Day
--- The Christmas Dinner
2. Rip Van Winkle
3. The Spectre Bridegroom
4. The Devil and Tom Walker
5. The Pride of the Village
6. Old Christmas:
--- Christmas
--- The Stage-coach
--- Christmas Eve
--- Christmas Day
--- The Christmas Dinner
August 25, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories! I didn't love The Devil and Tom Walker, but all the others were spooky fun that I really enjoyed reading the source material of!
October 16, 2025
Magnið af lýsingum á haustinu, bakkelsi og draugum talar allavega til mín
November 8, 2017
Average Rating for entire book: 3.33 stars. Some stories were better than others. Read on for an individual review of each story.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: I'm going to rate this story a 3.5, not quite a 4, but a little more than a 3.
Yes, this is my favorite quote from the book. I haven't read much classic literature, and the change in writing style was definitely something to get used to. But after a few pages that didn't seem to be a problem anymore. I'm not sure how I would have fared had this story been longer, but as it was, it was a delight to read. I love the dialogue, and the descriptions of Ichabod and his horse were hilarious.
I like the movie better than the book in this case, but that is simply because the movie has more to it. I love them both as separate things. The book is a fun, quick read, a little disappointing because it wasn't nearly as spooky as I was hoping. I had to really focus on the words, and try to put myself in Ichabod's shoes to feel even a little wary. That Ichabod was certainly a nervous critter.
So to sum up:
What I liked: the writing style, creative descriptions (even if they did get a little long-winded),
What I didn't like: too short, not spooky enough
Rip Van Winkle: This story gets a 3.5 star rating from me. It wasn't captivating enough or fleshed out enough for a 5 star rating, but I definitely liked this story.
I'd often heard of Rip Van Winkle, and knew he slept for a long, long time. But that was the extent of my knowledge about this story. I didn't know he was terribly lazy when it came to doing his work while he had no problem doing work for other people. I didn't know he had a wife that was constantly nagging him. Oh, and that poor dog! He's practically as henpecked as old Rip himself!
This is a fun quick read, and I love the way it's written. Reading a different writing style is so much fun. I like that it takes a little more effort to read and follow along, due to the way the English language has evolved since this was written.
The Spectre Bridegroom 4 out of 5 stars for this one.
I think I'd like to read this as a novel. The plot is a bit cheesy perhaps, but I found it enjoyable. And if the story was novel length, there'd definitely be room for more development of both plot and characters, as well as some plot twists.
This story played out in my head like a Tim Burton stop motion film. It felt very "The Corpse Bride". The setting, the characters, the crazy family. (Hmm, now I want Tim Burton to create this movie. Anybody know how to get in touch with him?)
I can't make up my mind whether Irving is being sarcastic and satirical, or sincere, given the time that this was written. Either way, this part was funny, if only in the way he wrote it, regardless of the fact that that would never fly today.
The Devil and Tom Walker 2 out of 5 stars for this...cautionary? tale for....money lenders?
So, I wasn't sure what to make of this one. Here's what I got out of it: Greed invites misery, don't take shortcuts (the literal, through the woods kind), don't make deals with the devil, greed and selfishness give way to paranoia. Take this quote for example:
Now if that isn't a man eaten away by greed and fear, I don't know what is. His wife was no better. She nagged him, yelled at him, was just a miserly as he was, never trusting him an inch. Their fights were known to send a bachelor hurrying "on his way, rejoicing...in his celibacy."
Such was their relationship. Neither giving an inch to the other, for no other reason than spite. Both were genuinely terrible people. I felt like I was reading a story that no other purpose than to scare me into being good. This was definitely not a story that captured my attention, imagination, or fancy.
The Pride of the Village Oh dear. I'm afraid in my eyes this story is only a 1.5/5
I'd like to do better, but I just can't. There's nothing I hate about this story precisely, but nothing I love either.
It felt like a combination of the high school drama movies so popular in the 2000s, and a Jane Austen novel.
Sweet perfect innocent girl is wooed by someone with less than stellar intentions. She, in her pure innocence, falls deeply in love with him, while he is only looking for a "village conquest" so he can swap stories with his soldier friends. But, then he ends up really falling in love with her. (This is the high school drama part of the story.)
He asks her to run away with him, as a companion, not a wife. She recoils in horror upon understanding his proposal. Her innocence shattered and her heart broken, she withdraws from the world. He leaves and forgets, almost, all about her. But then he returns to her, finding that he can't live without her after all. (And this is the Jane Austen part of the story.)
While beautifully written, with a charming little village that reminds me of a village I once visited in Switzerland, this story was not for me.
Old Christmas 5 out of 5 stars for this nostalgic tale!
This story is so beautiful! The gaiety and cheerfulness Irving brings to the pages, the feeling of nostalgia for the old days, It made me ache. Ache for Christmas to once again be more than a marketing ploy, more than the commercialized holiday it is these days.
Our narrator is invited to celebrate Christmas with an old friend and his family. The head of the family, Squire Bracebridge, turns out to celebrate Christmas in the old fashion. While he himself prefers things as they used to be, he still makes sure that the younger generation enjoys themselves by including traditions and foods more to their style.
I can't help but wonder if our narrator was feeling nostalgic for simpler times in the 1700s, how vastly have things changed nearly 300 years later? Does anybody still remember these ancient traditions? Being 21 and feeling just as the narrator does, makes me feel ancient. I, too, long for simpler days, for the more simple celebration of Christmas.
I also laughed aloud several times; Irving's sarcastic and humorous writing style making things funnier than they are. For instance, the situation where the parson is telling a story, but he gets less and less enthusiastic as he sees people stop listening, until, at the end, he "concluded his remarks, in an under voice, to a fat-headed gentleman next him, who was silently engaged in the discussion of a huge plateful of turkey."
I think this story will be a book I will make a point to read every year when the Christmas season rolls around. Definitely!
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: I'm going to rate this story a 3.5, not quite a 4, but a little more than a 3.
He rode with short stirrups, which brought his knees nearly up to the pommel of the saddle; his sharp elbows stuck out like grasshoppers'; he carried his whip perpendicularly in his hand, like a sceptre, and as his horse jogged on, the motion of his arms was not unlike the flapping of a pair of wings.
Yes, this is my favorite quote from the book. I haven't read much classic literature, and the change in writing style was definitely something to get used to. But after a few pages that didn't seem to be a problem anymore. I'm not sure how I would have fared had this story been longer, but as it was, it was a delight to read. I love the dialogue, and the descriptions of Ichabod and his horse were hilarious.
I like the movie better than the book in this case, but that is simply because the movie has more to it. I love them both as separate things. The book is a fun, quick read, a little disappointing because it wasn't nearly as spooky as I was hoping. I had to really focus on the words, and try to put myself in Ichabod's shoes to feel even a little wary. That Ichabod was certainly a nervous critter.
So to sum up:
What I liked: the writing style, creative descriptions (even if they did get a little long-winded),
What I didn't like: too short, not spooky enough
Rip Van Winkle: This story gets a 3.5 star rating from me. It wasn't captivating enough or fleshed out enough for a 5 star rating, but I definitely liked this story.
I'd often heard of Rip Van Winkle, and knew he slept for a long, long time. But that was the extent of my knowledge about this story. I didn't know he was terribly lazy when it came to doing his work while he had no problem doing work for other people. I didn't know he had a wife that was constantly nagging him. Oh, and that poor dog! He's practically as henpecked as old Rip himself!
This is a fun quick read, and I love the way it's written. Reading a different writing style is so much fun. I like that it takes a little more effort to read and follow along, due to the way the English language has evolved since this was written.
The Spectre Bridegroom 4 out of 5 stars for this one.
I think I'd like to read this as a novel. The plot is a bit cheesy perhaps, but I found it enjoyable. And if the story was novel length, there'd definitely be room for more development of both plot and characters, as well as some plot twists.
This story played out in my head like a Tim Burton stop motion film. It felt very "The Corpse Bride". The setting, the characters, the crazy family. (Hmm, now I want Tim Burton to create this movie. Anybody know how to get in touch with him?)
By the time she was eighteen she could embroider to admiration, and had worked whole histories of the saints in tapestry with such strength of expression in their countenances that they looked like so many souls in purgatory. She could read without great difficulty, and had spelled her way through several Church legends and almost all the chivalric wonders of the Heldenbuch. She had even made considerable proficiency in writing; could sign her own name without missing a letter, and so legibly that her aunts could read it without spectacles. She excelled in making little elegant good-for-nothing, lady-like knickknacks of all kinds, was versed in the most abstruse dancing of the day, played a number of airs on the harp and guitar, and knew all the tender ballads of the Minnelieders by heart.
I can't make up my mind whether Irving is being sarcastic and satirical, or sincere, given the time that this was written. Either way, this part was funny, if only in the way he wrote it, regardless of the fact that that would never fly today.
The Devil and Tom Walker 2 out of 5 stars for this...cautionary? tale for....money lenders?
So, I wasn't sure what to make of this one. Here's what I got out of it: Greed invites misery, don't take shortcuts (the literal, through the woods kind), don't make deals with the devil, greed and selfishness give way to paranoia. Take this quote for example:
Some say that Tom grew a little crack-brained in his old days, and that, fancying his end approaching, he had his horse new shod, saddled, and bridled, and buried with his feet uppermost; because he supposed that at the last day the world would be turned upside-down; in which case he should find his horse standing ready for mounting, and he was determined at the worst to give his old friend a run for it.
Now if that isn't a man eaten away by greed and fear, I don't know what is. His wife was no better. She nagged him, yelled at him, was just a miserly as he was, never trusting him an inch. Their fights were known to send a bachelor hurrying "on his way, rejoicing...in his celibacy."
However Tom might have felt disposed to sell himself to the devil, he was determined not to do so to oblige his wife; so he flatly refused, out of the mere spirit of contradiction. Many and bitter were the quarrels they had on the subject; but the more she talked, the more resolute was Tom not to be damned to please her
Such was their relationship. Neither giving an inch to the other, for no other reason than spite. Both were genuinely terrible people. I felt like I was reading a story that no other purpose than to scare me into being good. This was definitely not a story that captured my attention, imagination, or fancy.
The Pride of the Village Oh dear. I'm afraid in my eyes this story is only a 1.5/5
I'd like to do better, but I just can't. There's nothing I hate about this story precisely, but nothing I love either.
It felt like a combination of the high school drama movies so popular in the 2000s, and a Jane Austen novel.
Sweet perfect innocent girl is wooed by someone with less than stellar intentions. She, in her pure innocence, falls deeply in love with him, while he is only looking for a "village conquest" so he can swap stories with his soldier friends. But, then he ends up really falling in love with her. (This is the high school drama part of the story.)
What was he to do? There were the old obstacles which so incessantly occur in these heedless attachments. His rank in life, the prejudices of titled connections, his dependence upon a proud and unyielding father, all forbade him to think of matrimony
He asks her to run away with him, as a companion, not a wife. She recoils in horror upon understanding his proposal. Her innocence shattered and her heart broken, she withdraws from the world. He leaves and forgets, almost, all about her. But then he returns to her, finding that he can't live without her after all. (And this is the Jane Austen part of the story.)
While beautifully written, with a charming little village that reminds me of a village I once visited in Switzerland, this story was not for me.
Old Christmas 5 out of 5 stars for this nostalgic tale!
This story is so beautiful! The gaiety and cheerfulness Irving brings to the pages, the feeling of nostalgia for the old days, It made me ache. Ache for Christmas to once again be more than a marketing ploy, more than the commercialized holiday it is these days.
Our narrator is invited to celebrate Christmas with an old friend and his family. The head of the family, Squire Bracebridge, turns out to celebrate Christmas in the old fashion. While he himself prefers things as they used to be, he still makes sure that the younger generation enjoys themselves by including traditions and foods more to their style.
I can't help but wonder if our narrator was feeling nostalgic for simpler times in the 1700s, how vastly have things changed nearly 300 years later? Does anybody still remember these ancient traditions? Being 21 and feeling just as the narrator does, makes me feel ancient. I, too, long for simpler days, for the more simple celebration of Christmas.
Shorn, however, as it is, of its ancient and festive honours, Christmas is still a period of delightful excitement
I also laughed aloud several times; Irving's sarcastic and humorous writing style making things funnier than they are. For instance, the situation where the parson is telling a story, but he gets less and less enthusiastic as he sees people stop listening, until, at the end, he "concluded his remarks, in an under voice, to a fat-headed gentleman next him, who was silently engaged in the discussion of a huge plateful of turkey."
I think this story will be a book I will make a point to read every year when the Christmas season rolls around. Definitely!
September 12, 2020
Some of these stories I DNF'd because of the writing, others I really enjoyed, and others were just ok.
October 6, 2020
I’m going to rate each story individually and then rate the overall collection:
Sleepy Hollow--3 stars.
The Disney version stuck fairly close to this. I liked the overall writing but there were times in which there was a little too much detail. The creepy atmosphere near the end was great. I felt like the introduction and postscript took away from the story rather than added to it. There are a few mentions of the "N" word and not great depictions of Black people. I appreciate the story itself, though.
Rip Van Wrinkle—3 stars.
Another story I knew the gist of. Was interesting to see in its original format. Like with the other story, I liked the writing. The details weren't too heavy for this one but there also wasn't really enough emotion to make me feel one way or another. Good for what it was.
The Spectre Bridegroom--4 stars.
Really liked this story. Thought it did a good job with the atmosphere as well.
The Devil and Tom Walker—2.5 stars. It was OK. Very longwinded, though.
The Pride of the Village—2.5 stars.
An OK story about dying from a broken heart.
Old Christmas--DNF.
I don't usually DNF stories in a collection but I got halfway through this one (the longest in the collection) and am bored with it. It probably doesn't help that I was expecting this to be a collection of Fall/Spooky stories and to end with a Christmas one is odd. This mainly describes the different elements of Christmas during the time in England but it is way too long winded for me to enjoy."
This was my introduction to Washington Irving, though I knew the general story of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Wrinkle. I thought his writing was nice but he tended to get too heavy with details that didn’t seem to add much to the story. Several stories seemed to get more long winded than they needed to be. The last one was so long winded and info heavy that I ended up only reading the first half of it.
Some stories also show their age with the depictions of non-white and non-male characters, so something to keep in mind.
Overall, I enjoyed three out of six stories—Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Wrinkle, and The Spectre Bridegroom.
Sleepy Hollow--3 stars.
The Disney version stuck fairly close to this. I liked the overall writing but there were times in which there was a little too much detail. The creepy atmosphere near the end was great. I felt like the introduction and postscript took away from the story rather than added to it. There are a few mentions of the "N" word and not great depictions of Black people. I appreciate the story itself, though.
Rip Van Wrinkle—3 stars.
Another story I knew the gist of. Was interesting to see in its original format. Like with the other story, I liked the writing. The details weren't too heavy for this one but there also wasn't really enough emotion to make me feel one way or another. Good for what it was.
The Spectre Bridegroom--4 stars.
Really liked this story. Thought it did a good job with the atmosphere as well.
The Devil and Tom Walker—2.5 stars. It was OK. Very longwinded, though.
The Pride of the Village—2.5 stars.
An OK story about dying from a broken heart.
Old Christmas--DNF.
I don't usually DNF stories in a collection but I got halfway through this one (the longest in the collection) and am bored with it. It probably doesn't help that I was expecting this to be a collection of Fall/Spooky stories and to end with a Christmas one is odd. This mainly describes the different elements of Christmas during the time in England but it is way too long winded for me to enjoy."
This was my introduction to Washington Irving, though I knew the general story of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Wrinkle. I thought his writing was nice but he tended to get too heavy with details that didn’t seem to add much to the story. Several stories seemed to get more long winded than they needed to be. The last one was so long winded and info heavy that I ended up only reading the first half of it.
Some stories also show their age with the depictions of non-white and non-male characters, so something to keep in mind.
Overall, I enjoyed three out of six stories—Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Wrinkle, and The Spectre Bridegroom.
August 18, 2025
I was so disappointed by this. I'm glad I got it for free, which was the best part of the book... honestly, I don't want to judge a classic, and I like the concept of the Horseman, but while some stories were okay-ish, the whole book was just boring. It didn't help that the language was old and hard to understand... and while I could have lived with that, I just don't think any story had good pacing and some didn't have anything to say at all...
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 2,5/5
I hate Ichabod (apart from his name, which is funny); he's arrogant and unlikeable, the story is boring and too slow to be scary and the Horseman has a 2-page encounter at the end, which is very disappointing...
Rip Van Winkle 4/5
best story in the book, however the ending is a bit abrupt...
The Spectre Bridgeroom 3,5/5
Not scary at all... it's a nice story, but of that there are many... also Katzenellenbogen means cat's elbow, which is not a name at all, and yes it sounds that strange. The rest of the German seemed well enough though.
The Devil and Tom Walker 3,5/5
I felt like this one had a little more to say than the other stories. My problem was just that every character was as unlikeable as can be...
The Pride of the Village 3/5
Oh poor little girl,... so saaaad.
Old Christmas 1/5
Whatever that was it was the most boring 30 pages of my life... the story itself has nothing to say except that the author likes tradition and Christmas....
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 2,5/5
I hate Ichabod (apart from his name, which is funny); he's arrogant and unlikeable, the story is boring and too slow to be scary and the Horseman has a 2-page encounter at the end, which is very disappointing...
Rip Van Winkle 4/5
best story in the book, however the ending is a bit abrupt...
The Spectre Bridgeroom 3,5/5
Not scary at all... it's a nice story, but of that there are many... also Katzenellenbogen means cat's elbow, which is not a name at all, and yes it sounds that strange. The rest of the German seemed well enough though.
The Devil and Tom Walker 3,5/5
I felt like this one had a little more to say than the other stories. My problem was just that every character was as unlikeable as can be...
The Pride of the Village 3/5
Oh poor little girl,... so saaaad.
Old Christmas 1/5
Whatever that was it was the most boring 30 pages of my life... the story itself has nothing to say except that the author likes tradition and Christmas....
October 8, 2017
I got this book from August's Owlcrate. I was super excited to get it, the cover is just beautiful. I did enjoy a couple of the stories, but not the writing itself.
There's a lot of padding to each story with unnecessary information. I understand, it was just the way books were written at the time. But majority of the book was just spent trying to get through it. Large sections could have been left out, and still made a good story.
Glad I read it, more classics should make their way to my "read" list. Also glad I won't have to read it again.
There's a lot of padding to each story with unnecessary information. I understand, it was just the way books were written at the time. But majority of the book was just spent trying to get through it. Large sections could have been left out, and still made a good story.
Glad I read it, more classics should make their way to my "read" list. Also glad I won't have to read it again.
August 28, 2017
This book bored me to death.
October 2, 2020
I love this book a lot and it was amazing and i added it back on my TBR
February 19, 2022
ni leyéndolo por la noche me ha parecido más terrorífico
November 3, 2023
2.5
Not as enjoyable as I wanted it to be, but I liked the spooky vibes!
Not as enjoyable as I wanted it to be, but I liked the spooky vibes!
October 15, 2018
Actual rating on this is probably something like 3.75 stars. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I did generally enjoy the collection. Most of the stories are slow-paced considerations of rural life with a hint of the supernatural or the superstitious. I think people who enjoy classic literature will appreciate this. There are some beautiful turns of phrase and the final story is a beautiful consideration of Christmas celebrations in England.
Most of the stories are set in pre-Civil War America and there are some interesting undercurrents hinting at Irvings thoughts about slavery. In Sleepy Hollow there are a couple of bits that at first glance seem rather racist, but given the sardonic tone of this work as a whole and considering his clearly anti-slavery stance in other places, I think they are supposed to be seen as mildly sarcastic send-ups of paternalistic racist thinking.
This won't be for everyone since the pacing is slower and the writing is quite descriptive, but I did enjoy it.
Most of the stories are set in pre-Civil War America and there are some interesting undercurrents hinting at Irvings thoughts about slavery. In Sleepy Hollow there are a couple of bits that at first glance seem rather racist, but given the sardonic tone of this work as a whole and considering his clearly anti-slavery stance in other places, I think they are supposed to be seen as mildly sarcastic send-ups of paternalistic racist thinking.
This won't be for everyone since the pacing is slower and the writing is quite descriptive, but I did enjoy it.
November 1, 2020
Me ha costado muchísimo terminar este libro y yo creo que es por la narración.
No fue fácil de leer, en especial en inglés, se me hizo bastante compleajo a veces, principalmente por el estilo y el vocabulario un poco anticuado. De hecho, en algunas historias la narración me recordó a Nathaniel Hawthorne de La letra escarlata, el cual me costó muchísimo leer.
De los 6 relatos que contiene este libro, mis favoritos fueron Rip Van Winkle y The Spectre Bridegroom. Fueron los más ágiles y entretenidos de leer, además igual me pusieron nerviosa unos ratitos, que era lo que esperaba de estas historias.
La leyenda de Sleepy Hollow (la historia del famoso jinete sin cabeza) también me gustó bastante, pero pensé que me generaría más temor o algo por el estilo.
De todas maneras, esas tres historias me gustaría leerlas en español algún día.
No fue fácil de leer, en especial en inglés, se me hizo bastante compleajo a veces, principalmente por el estilo y el vocabulario un poco anticuado. De hecho, en algunas historias la narración me recordó a Nathaniel Hawthorne de La letra escarlata, el cual me costó muchísimo leer.
De los 6 relatos que contiene este libro, mis favoritos fueron Rip Van Winkle y The Spectre Bridegroom. Fueron los más ágiles y entretenidos de leer, además igual me pusieron nerviosa unos ratitos, que era lo que esperaba de estas historias.
La leyenda de Sleepy Hollow (la historia del famoso jinete sin cabeza) también me gustó bastante, pero pensé que me generaría más temor o algo por el estilo.
De todas maneras, esas tres historias me gustaría leerlas en español algún día.
September 11, 2022
I am getting ready for the changing of the seasons. I am re-reading and re-watching favorites. I also fall into the other camp of "I remember reading this but forgot the details." This collection is more on the favorite side, especially when I remember watching Sleepy Hollow during school days on repeat. Upon re-reading and watching in 2022 I find I enjoyed the movie better, though I have a fondness for the written short story.
The other short stories in the collection.
Sleepy Hollow I always want more. ✩★✩★ re-read
The Devil and Tom Walker ✩★✩ 1st time in 2022
Rip Van Winkle ✩★✩ re-read
The other short stories in the collection.
Sleepy Hollow I always want more. ✩★✩★ re-read
The Devil and Tom Walker ✩★✩ 1st time in 2022
Rip Van Winkle ✩★✩ re-read
October 16, 2017
I can't do this 19th century literature. There are only a handful of novels from that era that I love (i.e. Great Expectations and The Scarlet Letter), but a majority are the absolute worst. Does there really need to be an entire page devoted to telling me that the curtains were blue?! I mean, c'mon!?!
The story of Sleepy Hollow was only 28 pages and it felt like 400. When you take away the excessive descriptions, there really wasn't much to the story and that was really disappointing because the adaptations of stories and film of Sleepy Hollow over the years are fantastic.
The story of Sleepy Hollow was only 28 pages and it felt like 400. When you take away the excessive descriptions, there really wasn't much to the story and that was really disappointing because the adaptations of stories and film of Sleepy Hollow over the years are fantastic.
June 11, 2020
It's really hard to rank short story collections so I'm going right in the middle here.
I'm not the type of person who'd go out of there way to read a bunch of short stories by a long-dead misogynistic racist, but when you put that aside the first two stories in this book (Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle were interesting to read). It was kind of downhill from there and I couldn't be bothered with the "Old Christmas" bit. But now I want to watch the Disney version of sleepy hollow so I guess that's nice?
I'm not the type of person who'd go out of there way to read a bunch of short stories by a long-dead misogynistic racist, but when you put that aside the first two stories in this book (Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle were interesting to read). It was kind of downhill from there and I couldn't be bothered with the "Old Christmas" bit. But now I want to watch the Disney version of sleepy hollow so I guess that's nice?
October 10, 2017
It's very difficult to review pieces of literature borne from a different time when the pace of the day was slower and so the prose wielded by authors was the same. What can be said then is that it is worth it to read stories now classified at classics to fully appreciate how far we've come and what we've left behind.
February 18, 2019
Honestly did not anticipate being so bored that I would fall asleep FOUR TIMES in a short story about a headless horseman. Managed to smash this out with the help of audiobooks but clearly Irving’s writing is not for me.
March 29, 2022
I enjoyed these spooky little stories but at times they were a bit wordy and slow.
April 30, 2022
One of the most difficult to get through 120-page books I’ve ever read. A few glimmers of fun and interest, but it was mostly just an absolute slog.
August 13, 2026
Just a perfect classic. An original American horror story with (as far as I can tell) nothing drawing on historical lore. I’ve seen so many retelling and versions, the Disney cartoon, Tim Burton/Johnny Depp’s live action, The Horseman (a novel by Christina Henry - a FANTASTIC reimagining of the story), and who knows how many other references in media. Sleepy Hollow becomes its own living, breathing character - literally putting a small New York town in the spotlight to this day. Iconic characters such as Brom Bones, the brute, Ichabod Crane, the superstitious newcomer, Katrina Van Tassel, the damsel, and of course the Headless Horseman himself. A cozy, fall day read, that despite knowing the story in so many iterations, is still so fun to go through the original words.
December 4, 2022
She would wander with him through the green lanes and rural scenes of the vicinity. He taught her to see new beauties in Nature; he talked in the language of polite and cultivated life, and breathed into her ear the witcheries of romance and poetry.
1. Rip Van Winkle deserves the top place for the simple reason that it left me thinking when I finished it. And it was also the most thrilling. 4/5
2. The Pride of the Village . Not much of a story, nor remarkable, nor exciting or packed with substance. But a wholly beautiful, innocent analysis on romantic love. Absolutely adored. 3.75/5
3. Old Christmas was a lovely surprise. It’s an optimistic and atmospheric examination of the Christmas tradition. Old English customs are revered, but altogether not too distant from our modern perspective. 3.75/5
4. Sleepy Hollow was good. It was the first story in this collection, introducing Irving’s overwhelming and elaborate writing style. But even so he manages to conjure up some good suspense. Ichabod Crane's story is amusing and full of some deeper truth that took me a bit to understand and still don’t fully comprehend. The 1999 film was an odd thing, for sure. 3.5/5
5. The Devil and Tom Walker . Not much to say here; miser makes a deal with the Devil to gain wealth, one misstep, and he's carried to Hell. Greed and misfortune go hand in hand I s'pose, Mr. Irving. Also, I was pleasantly surprised after reading Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown to find these two short stories of similar taste. 3.25/5
6. The Spectre Bridegroom , like Sleepy Hollow, also disappointingly turned out to be about anything but a frightening apparition. Nonetheless it was fine. 3/5
Of all the old festivals, that of Christmas awakens the strongest and most heartfelt associations. There is a tone of solemn and sacred feeling that blends with our conviviality, and lifts the spirit to a state of hallowed and elevated enjoyment.
May 6, 2020
***THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF THE COMPLETE BOOK, THIS IS ONLY A REVIEW OF "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW" CONTAINED WITHIN THIS COLLECTION.***
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Much as I love the actual concept behind The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I have to say that actually going back and re-reading the original text by Washington Lloyd Irving is pretty much what I expected it to be: a disappointment of word vomit.
Understand, the actual concept behind this story is pretty okay. The problem is that Irving loves to ramble on and on with his descriptions. And the vast majority of the pages are nothing but that, and it's just not well-written. Perhaps it was considered such for the time he lived in and when he wrote it, but it really isn't well-written. If this story were relayed orally, things would be different. The way Irving wrote this, had it been passed on as a verbal story around fires in a gathering of several people, the rambling way he's writing would actually make more sense and work better.
But dear lord, save me from the long descriptions of the apples on the trees in the countryside. The initial description of the hamlet of Sleepy Hollow itself is good, it really is; it's very evocative and does an excellent job to really characterize the town itself. But beyond that, no. Just no. And the stacking of paragraphs and paragraphs into pages of just describing Ichabod Crane, of Katrina, of Brom becomes exhaustive. The writing did not age well, and is a prime example of telling rather than showing.
That being said, even if I didn't enjoy this re-read of this short story, I did appreciate the fact I was able to go back and re-read, and that I do own this collection of short stories (which I hope I'll eventually have the drive and desire to read as well.)
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Much as I love the actual concept behind The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I have to say that actually going back and re-reading the original text by Washington Lloyd Irving is pretty much what I expected it to be: a disappointment of word vomit.
Understand, the actual concept behind this story is pretty okay. The problem is that Irving loves to ramble on and on with his descriptions. And the vast majority of the pages are nothing but that, and it's just not well-written. Perhaps it was considered such for the time he lived in and when he wrote it, but it really isn't well-written. If this story were relayed orally, things would be different. The way Irving wrote this, had it been passed on as a verbal story around fires in a gathering of several people, the rambling way he's writing would actually make more sense and work better.
But dear lord, save me from the long descriptions of the apples on the trees in the countryside. The initial description of the hamlet of Sleepy Hollow itself is good, it really is; it's very evocative and does an excellent job to really characterize the town itself. But beyond that, no. Just no. And the stacking of paragraphs and paragraphs into pages of just describing Ichabod Crane, of Katrina, of Brom becomes exhaustive. The writing did not age well, and is a prime example of telling rather than showing.
That being said, even if I didn't enjoy this re-read of this short story, I did appreciate the fact I was able to go back and re-read, and that I do own this collection of short stories (which I hope I'll eventually have the drive and desire to read as well.)
January 3, 2019
I really enjoyed most of the stories in this book. Here are my thoughts on each!
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: 5/5 stars
Really enjoyed this one! Everything Washington Irving writes is very descriptive, but I loved how he set up the setting of the town and the era and the time of year in which the story took place, the characterization was so well done, and I really liked the story and the ending. It's no surprise to see why this story has been interpreted and retold so many times. Perfect to read in October near Halloween!
Rip Van Winkle: 5/5 stars
I had heard of Rip Van Winkle as I think most people have, but never read the source material. This was really enjoyable and interesting and also a perfect length!
The Spectre Bridegroom: 5/5 stars
This one was also very eerie and spooky and worked well as a Halloween read. I had never heard of it before, but it was really good and I loved the ending!
The Devil and Tom Walker: 3/5 stars
Just didn't enjoy this one as much as the others and it was also less memorable for me.
The Pride of the Village: 3/5 stars
So sad! The writing was beautiful as it is in all of his stories, but this one was so sad. Not as enjoyable as some of the others.
Old Christmas: 3/5 stars
A nice one to read around Christmastime, but there wasn't much to the plot - it was basically a very long description of one family's Christmas celebrations as observed by a guest to the household. The descriptions are lovely but since it is SO long and doesn't have much else going for it, it was hard to keep my interest. It's broken into about five or six shorter chapters which really helped me get through it.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: 5/5 stars
Really enjoyed this one! Everything Washington Irving writes is very descriptive, but I loved how he set up the setting of the town and the era and the time of year in which the story took place, the characterization was so well done, and I really liked the story and the ending. It's no surprise to see why this story has been interpreted and retold so many times. Perfect to read in October near Halloween!
Rip Van Winkle: 5/5 stars
I had heard of Rip Van Winkle as I think most people have, but never read the source material. This was really enjoyable and interesting and also a perfect length!
The Spectre Bridegroom: 5/5 stars
This one was also very eerie and spooky and worked well as a Halloween read. I had never heard of it before, but it was really good and I loved the ending!
The Devil and Tom Walker: 3/5 stars
Just didn't enjoy this one as much as the others and it was also less memorable for me.
The Pride of the Village: 3/5 stars
So sad! The writing was beautiful as it is in all of his stories, but this one was so sad. Not as enjoyable as some of the others.
Old Christmas: 3/5 stars
A nice one to read around Christmastime, but there wasn't much to the plot - it was basically a very long description of one family's Christmas celebrations as observed by a guest to the household. The descriptions are lovely but since it is SO long and doesn't have much else going for it, it was hard to keep my interest. It's broken into about five or six shorter chapters which really helped me get through it.
December 9, 2017
Bueno, de la edición no tengo nada que decir: es hermosa. La portada exclusiva para Owlcrate es perfecta.
Con respecto a las historias tengo varias cosas que decir.
En primer lugar, Sleepy Hollow. Fue una de las historias que menos me gustó, lo cual es muy decepcionante, ya que era la que más ansiaba leer. Crees que se va a tratar del jinete sin cabeza, y terminas leyendo sobre un cortejo.
En segundo lugar, desde el cuento de Rip Van Winkle hasta The Pride of the Village me encantaron, unos más que otros, y tal vez se debía en parte a que no tenía ninguna expectativa con respecto a ellos. Rip Van Winkle, The Spectre Bridegroom y The Devil and Tom Walker fueron mis favoritos por su tono hilarante combinado con las leyendas folklóricas y algo "spooky". Las leí todas de una tirada.
Por último el cuento navideño, Old Christmas. Tengo sentimientos encontrados con respecto a este último, ya que me encantó cómo se relata la historia, el espíritu navideño que inspira, y el retrato de las costumbres que se tenían en épocas pasadas. No me gustó mucho algunos comentarios y actitudes de los personajes que no eran problematizados durante la historia, sino que se veían como algo normal, pero lo puedo entender por la época del autor y su contexto sociohistorico. Se me hizo un poco más lenta la lectura, pero la manera en que el autor finaliza el cuento le dio algo de encanto a la historia, a mi gusto.
Estuve cerca de ponerle un 3, pero creo que los cuentos cortos realmente eran buenos y merecían una mejor puntuación.
Con respecto a las historias tengo varias cosas que decir.
En primer lugar, Sleepy Hollow. Fue una de las historias que menos me gustó, lo cual es muy decepcionante, ya que era la que más ansiaba leer. Crees que se va a tratar del jinete sin cabeza, y terminas leyendo sobre un cortejo.
En segundo lugar, desde el cuento de Rip Van Winkle hasta The Pride of the Village me encantaron, unos más que otros, y tal vez se debía en parte a que no tenía ninguna expectativa con respecto a ellos. Rip Van Winkle, The Spectre Bridegroom y The Devil and Tom Walker fueron mis favoritos por su tono hilarante combinado con las leyendas folklóricas y algo "spooky". Las leí todas de una tirada.
Por último el cuento navideño, Old Christmas. Tengo sentimientos encontrados con respecto a este último, ya que me encantó cómo se relata la historia, el espíritu navideño que inspira, y el retrato de las costumbres que se tenían en épocas pasadas. No me gustó mucho algunos comentarios y actitudes de los personajes que no eran problematizados durante la historia, sino que se veían como algo normal, pero lo puedo entender por la época del autor y su contexto sociohistorico. Se me hizo un poco más lenta la lectura, pero la manera en que el autor finaliza el cuento le dio algo de encanto a la historia, a mi gusto.
Estuve cerca de ponerle un 3, pero creo que los cuentos cortos realmente eran buenos y merecían una mejor puntuación.
September 17, 2017
Owlcrate book box - August 2017 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'
“...and he would have passed a pleasant life of it, in despite of the Devil and all his works, if his path had not been crossed by a being that causes more perplexity to mortal man than ghosts, goblins, and the whole race of witches put together, and that was—a woman.”
Since I received this book from the August 2017 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' Owlcrate book box, it came with a special Book Cover edition which is exciting. Owning something by Washington Irving adds a certain level of elegance to my ever growing garden of books. I am personally not familiar with his work, so I was lookig forward to reading this book.
So I don't know what exactly I was expecting but boredom wasn't it. The writing was strongly fixated on the description of the houses, farmland, clothing or hobbies of the protagonist. That any form of action only happened towards the end. I honestly don't know what exactly I'm reviewing since these are short stories and known classics. Therefore, I honestly doubt anything I say will mean much.
A few of these stories I already knew from cartoons such as Sleepy Hollow and The Spectre Bridegroom. So it was really exciting for me to revisit. My favorite of the bunch was Rip Van Winkle.
All in all, Irving delivered well in terms of the horror and chattiness. I recommend this to readers who are fans of classics and the like. https://bookishowlette.wordpress.com/
“...and he would have passed a pleasant life of it, in despite of the Devil and all his works, if his path had not been crossed by a being that causes more perplexity to mortal man than ghosts, goblins, and the whole race of witches put together, and that was—a woman.”
Since I received this book from the August 2017 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' Owlcrate book box, it came with a special Book Cover edition which is exciting. Owning something by Washington Irving adds a certain level of elegance to my ever growing garden of books. I am personally not familiar with his work, so I was lookig forward to reading this book.
So I don't know what exactly I was expecting but boredom wasn't it. The writing was strongly fixated on the description of the houses, farmland, clothing or hobbies of the protagonist. That any form of action only happened towards the end. I honestly don't know what exactly I'm reviewing since these are short stories and known classics. Therefore, I honestly doubt anything I say will mean much.
A few of these stories I already knew from cartoons such as Sleepy Hollow and The Spectre Bridegroom. So it was really exciting for me to revisit. My favorite of the bunch was Rip Van Winkle.
All in all, Irving delivered well in terms of the horror and chattiness. I recommend this to readers who are fans of classics and the like. https://bookishowlette.wordpress.com/
December 7, 2020
So I read this collection in 2 parts. Sleepy Hollow itself and the other spooky tales were read in October. Upon discovering a last section called Old Christmas, I saved it for December.
Sleepy Hollow was amusing and only slightly more detailed than the children's abridged version I grew up on. The other stories were old-timey ghostly tales. I did not like one of them and was pretty indifferent to the others. I did really like the one about the Bridegroom though.
Old Christmas was good. It reminded me of A Christmas Carol in some ways, while also being very different than it. The descriptions were beautiful, though there are some games and items mentioned that I've no idea what they are. I'll have to look them up.
I wasn't particularly fond of the hints at potentially inappropriate stuff involving young maidens.....and I did not like the way the Squire seems to think that common-folk should just work and be happy with the festive leavings by their "patrons" once a year and quietly serve without wanting to better themselves or seek equality. But I mean....he's a stuffy old man stuck in the past in his moldering mansion.....and this was written a long time ago.
But overall, I enjoyed the festivities and merriment described. Made me feel cheery in a year when large festivities are not happening.
Sleepy Hollow was amusing and only slightly more detailed than the children's abridged version I grew up on. The other stories were old-timey ghostly tales. I did not like one of them and was pretty indifferent to the others. I did really like the one about the Bridegroom though.
Old Christmas was good. It reminded me of A Christmas Carol in some ways, while also being very different than it. The descriptions were beautiful, though there are some games and items mentioned that I've no idea what they are. I'll have to look them up.
I wasn't particularly fond of the hints at potentially inappropriate stuff involving young maidens.....and I did not like the way the Squire seems to think that common-folk should just work and be happy with the festive leavings by their "patrons" once a year and quietly serve without wanting to better themselves or seek equality. But I mean....he's a stuffy old man stuck in the past in his moldering mansion.....and this was written a long time ago.
But overall, I enjoyed the festivities and merriment described. Made me feel cheery in a year when large festivities are not happening.
September 10, 2017
(August 2017 Owlcrate Something Wicked This Way Comes)
"Local tales and superstitions thrive best in these sheltered, long settled retreats; but are trampled underfoot, by the shifting throng that forms the population of most of our country places."
Hands down my favorite thing about this book is the exclusive cover I received from my Owlcrate subscription. It's dark and sleek and poppin'.
As for the writing: I haven't read much Irving, mostly I've just seen movies or cartoons based on his work. Honestly, he's a little ramble-y. Like he was in the middle of a though and just kept getting sidetracked by descriptions. But luckily the stories contained herein are all short, so they're easy to get through.
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" are, of course, classics. Even if you haven't read them, I'll bet you know some, if not almost all, of the story. But I also enjoyed "The Spectre Bridegroom" which has a very Corpse Bride feel to it.
I still have Irving's complete works sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, so I'm interested to see what other stories of his I might recognize.
"Local tales and superstitions thrive best in these sheltered, long settled retreats; but are trampled underfoot, by the shifting throng that forms the population of most of our country places."
Hands down my favorite thing about this book is the exclusive cover I received from my Owlcrate subscription. It's dark and sleek and poppin'.
As for the writing: I haven't read much Irving, mostly I've just seen movies or cartoons based on his work. Honestly, he's a little ramble-y. Like he was in the middle of a though and just kept getting sidetracked by descriptions. But luckily the stories contained herein are all short, so they're easy to get through.
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" are, of course, classics. Even if you haven't read them, I'll bet you know some, if not almost all, of the story. But I also enjoyed "The Spectre Bridegroom" which has a very Corpse Bride feel to it.
I still have Irving's complete works sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, so I'm interested to see what other stories of his I might recognize.
October 21, 2019
'Methinks I hear the questions asked by my graver readers, "To what purpose is all this?- how in the world to be made wiser by this talk?" Alas! Is there not wisdom enough extant for the instruction of the world? And if not, are there not thousands of abler pens labouring for its improvement?- it is so much pleasanter to please than to instruct- to play the companion rather than the preceptor.
What after all, is the mite of wisdom that I could throw into the mass of knowledge? Or how an I sure that my sagest deductions may be safe guides for the opinions of others? But in writing to amuse, if I fail, the only evil is my own disappointment. If, however, I can by any lucky chance, in these days of evil, rub out one wrinkle from the brow of care, or beguile the heavy heart of one moment of sorrow; if I can now and then penetrate through the gathering film of misanthropy, prompt a benevolent view of human nature, and make my reader more in good humour with his fellow beings and himself, surely, surely, I shall not then have written entirely in vain.'
What after all, is the mite of wisdom that I could throw into the mass of knowledge? Or how an I sure that my sagest deductions may be safe guides for the opinions of others? But in writing to amuse, if I fail, the only evil is my own disappointment. If, however, I can by any lucky chance, in these days of evil, rub out one wrinkle from the brow of care, or beguile the heavy heart of one moment of sorrow; if I can now and then penetrate through the gathering film of misanthropy, prompt a benevolent view of human nature, and make my reader more in good humour with his fellow beings and himself, surely, surely, I shall not then have written entirely in vain.'
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