Washington Irving books

Anthologies

Collections

Gothic Fantasy Reading Order

Non-Fiction

Short Stories/Novellas

Standalone Novels

Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author, essayist, and historian whose work helped establish a distinct American literary voice in the early nineteenth century. His most famous stories, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, have become permanent fixtures of American culture, adapted countless times for stage, screen, and television.

Beyond his fiction, Irving wrote extensively in non-fiction. His five-volume Life of George Washington was a major biographical undertaking, and works like The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus and Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada reflected his interest in Spanish history during his years living abroad. His essay collections, including The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. and Bracebridge Hall, blended travel writing with fiction and observation.

Irving’s influence extends well past his own era. His works appear in hundreds of anthologies, and his Gothic stories in particular have been collected alongside authors like Poe, Lovecraft, and Shelley. He was also the first American writer to earn a living primarily through his pen, setting a precedent for the profession of authorship in the United States.