Washington Irving

author

Washington Irving

1783–1859

Best known for "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," this early American master of storytelling helped shape the nation's literary voice. His mix of humor, folklore, and gentle satire still feels lively and inviting today.

42 Audiobooks

Bracebridge Hall

Bracebridge Hall

by Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

by Washington Irving

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle

by Washington Irving

Old Christmas

Old Christmas

by Washington Irving

Alhambra

Alhambra

by Washington Irving

Tri Noveloj

Tri Noveloj

by Washington Irving

The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, U. S. A., in the Rocky Mountains and the Far West

The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, U. S. A., in the Rocky Mountains and the Far West

by Washington Irving, Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville

The Crayon Papers

The Crayon Papers

by Washington Irving

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle

by Washington Irving

Tales of a Traveller

Tales of a Traveller

by Washington Irving

The Alhambra

The Alhambra

by Washington Irving

La Legendo de Dorm-Valeto

La Legendo de Dorm-Valeto

by Washington Irving

Oliver Goldsmith: A Biography

Oliver Goldsmith: A Biography

by Washington Irving

The Alhambra

The Alhambra

by Washington Irving

Little Britain

Little Britain

by Washington Irving

Cuentos Clásicos del Norte, Segunda Serie

Cuentos Clásicos del Norte, Segunda Serie

by Washington Irving, Edward Everett Hale, Nathaniel Hawthorne

Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey

Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey

by Washington Irving

Christmas Day

Christmas Day

by Washington Irving

Cuentos de la Alhambra

Cuentos de la Alhambra

by Washington Irving

Pennsylvania Dutch Rip Van Winkle: A romantic drama in two acts

Pennsylvania Dutch Rip Van Winkle: A romantic drama in two acts

by E. H. (Edward H.) Rauch, Washington Irving

Pokanoket'in Filip

Pokanoket'in Filip

by Washington Irving

Spanish Papers

Spanish Papers

by Washington Irving

Salmagundi : or, The whimwhams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq., and others

Salmagundi : or, The whimwhams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq., and others

by William Irving, Washington Irving, James Kirke Paulding

About the author

Born in New York City in 1783, Washington Irving became one of the first American writers to win a large international readership. He began with playful, satirical writing, including A History of New York, before reaching lasting fame with The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., the collection that introduced "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

Irving spent many years in Europe, and that wider experience fed both his fiction and his historical writing. Along with stories and essays, he wrote books on figures such as Christopher Columbus and George Washington, and he also served as the United States minister to Spain in the 1840s.

He died in 1859 in Tarrytown, New York, near his home at Sunnyside along the Hudson River. Remembered as a graceful stylist with a gift for atmosphere, Irving helped prove that American literature could entertain readers on both sides of the Atlantic.