Washington Irving (2529)

Washington Irving was one of the first American authors to win recognition in Europe and the USA for his humorous stories and satirical essays which poked fun at New York City society. At various times he was a lawyer, a businessman and a US diplomat to England and Spain.

Irving’s best-known works include two short stories, «Rip Van Winkle» and «The Legend of Sleepy Hollow». In «Rip Van Winkle», the tide character falls asleep for 20 years and awakens to find everything different. «The Legend of Sleepy Hollow» tells about Ichabod Crane, a poor schoolmaster, and his encounter with a headless horseman.

Irving was born in New York City and attended school until he was nearly 15 years old. He later went to work in a law office to study law. Irving became interested in writing while in his teens, and his first published works appeared in 1802 and 1803. They were in the form of letters to the «Morning Chronicle», a New York City newspaper edited by his brother Peter.

Irving eventually became a lawyer, but his interest in the law gave way to his love for writing. He abandoned his law practice in 1809 and his first book was published that same year. It was called «A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty». Irving wrote this book under the name of Diedrich Knickerbocker, an eccentric man who became one of the author's most popular characters. The book was a major comic triumph.

In 1810, Irving joined his family's hardware company. He went to England in 1815 to help run a branch of the business there. The company failed in 1818, freeing Irving to dedicate himself entirely to literature.

In England Irving wrote «The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent» (1819 – 1820). This book consists of a series of essays, stories, and other short pieces about the United States and England. This book won Irving the respect of European critics. The book includes Irving's two most important works, «Rip Van "Winkle» and «The Legend of Sleepy Hollow».

In 1826, Irving became a U.S. diplomat in Spain and began to study and write about Spanish themes. His works from this period include «History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus» (1828), «The Conquest of Granada» (1829), and «The Alhambra» (1832). In 1829, Irving joined the U.S. diplomatic staff in London.

Irving returned to New York in 1832 and set out on a visit to the Western frontier. Irving described this trip in «A Tour on the Prairies», the first in a series of books called «The Crayon Miscellany» (1835).

In 1842, he was appointed United States minister to Spain. He served there for four years and then returned to Sunnyside, where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1859, Irving completed «The Life of George Washington», an impressive five-volume biography. He died shortly after finishing the last volume.

Irving's works set an example for humorous writing, which later became an important part of American literature. In addition, Irving helped establish the short story as a popular literary form in the United States.

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