WASHINGTON IRVING
American author (1783-1859)
Biography:
Washington Irving is considered to be the first American writter to be known abroad. He was born in New York in 1783 in a well-to-do family. After leavig school he began studying law. In 1820 he published his best-known book called the Sketch Book, a compilation of short stories including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. The Legends of Alhambra, published in 1832, is another of his most-read novels.
At the end of his days he became the mentor of excellent American writers like Hawthorne, Longfellow and Poe.
He died in tarrytown on November 1859, already recognized as a prestigious writter in Europe and USA.
Washington Irving, author of illustrated works:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, illustrated by Thea Kliros, Dover Children's Thrift Classics, 1995