The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow And Other Stories From The Sketch Book

Among the first tales by an American writer, the title story and "Rip Van Winkle" marked the entry of Washington Irving into world literature. Also includes "The Devil and Tom Walker," "The Spectre Bridegroom," and more, 15 short stories in all.

Sage, storyteller, and wit, Washington Irving created such staples of American fiction as the stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” He earned his preeminence in early American literature with the masterpieces in miniature collected here: dozens of stories, travel essays, biographical discourses, and literary musings. “His influence on American writers is unquestioned,” wrote Edgar Allan Poe, and his stories have proved as enduring as the Catskill Mountains the author immortalized. “Exceptional talent….I am one of his most ardent admirers. I admired Mr. Irving’s work so much, in fact, that I gave it the ultimate praise; I ‘borrowed it.’”—Edgar Allan Poe With an Introduction by Wayne Franklin

A compilation of Washington Irving's stories, essays, and travelogues includes Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

If you were asked to choose the most fabulous character in English literature, who would it be? Perhaps the one and only Ichabod Crane. Just in time for the 70th anniversary of the release of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, relive the action of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with this storybook and CD set, featuring word-for-word narration and sound effects!

Originally published under a pseudonym as The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories stands as Washington Irving’s best known literary collection, starring staple characters in American fiction: Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman, and Rip Van Winkle. Experience Gothic horror at its best, written by the “Father of the American short story,” in these classic larger-than-life tales sure to chill the faint of heart and thrill the brave-hearted. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories, also known as The Sketch Book, is a collection of 34 essays and short stories written by American author Washington Irving. It was published serially throughout 1819 and 1820. The collection includes two of Irving's best-known stories, attributed to the fictional Dutch historian Diedrich Knickerbocker, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle." The Sketch Book was the first widely read work of American literature in Britain and Europe. It also helped advance the reputation of American writers with an international audience. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" were the pieces which made both Irving and The Sketch Book famous. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is among the earliest examples of American fiction with enduring popularity, especially during the Halloween season. This edition is limited to 1,000 copies.

With his beloved Gothic tales, Washington Irving is said to have created the genre of the short story in America. Though Irving crafted many of the most memorable characters in fiction, from Rip Van Winkle to Ichabod Crane, his gifts were not confined to the short story alone. He was also a master of satire, essay, travelogue, and folktale, as evidenced in this classic collection. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, "Every reader has a first book.... which, in early youth, first fascinates his imagination, and at once excites and satisfies the desires of his mind. To me, this first book was The Sketch Book of Washington Irving... The charm of The Sketch Book remains unbroken; the old fascination still lingers about it."