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Rough draughts of some of the following tales and essays were actually written during a residence in the Alhambra; others were subsequently added, founded on notes and observations made there. Care was taken to maintain local coloring and verisimilitude; so that the whole might present a faithful and living picture of that microcosm, that singular little world into which I had been fortuitously thrown; and about which the external world had a very imperfect idea. It was my endeavor scrupulously to depict its half Spanish, half Oriental character; its mixture of the heroic, the poetic, and the grotesque; to revive the traces of grace and beauty fast fading from its walls; to record the regal and chivalrous traditions concerning those who once trod its courts; and the whimsical and superstitious legends of the motley race now burrowing among its ruins.

This second Library of America volume of Washington Irving brings together for the first time three collections of his stories and sketches. Written at the peak of his popularity, these three works reveal Irving’s remarkable diversity, his skill at adapting European legends to his own style, and the talent for entertainment that made him America’s first literary celebrity. Bracebridge Hall (1822) was published, like The Sketch Book, under the pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon, and centers on an English manor, its inhabitants, and the tales they tell. Interspersed with witty, evocative sketches of country life among the English nobility is the well-known tale “The Stout Gentleman” and stories based on English, French, and Spanish folklore, vividly recounted with Irving’s inimitable blend of elegance and colloquial dash. Tales of a Traveller (1824), written after a year-long stay in Germany, is a pivotal work in Irving’s career, marking his last experiment with fiction before he turned to the writing of history, biography, and adaptation of folktales. Irving felt his new stories to be “some of the best things I have ever written. They may not be as highly finished as some of my former writings, but they are touched off with a freer spirit, and are more true to life.” The Alhambra (1832) was inspired by Irving’s stay during the spring and summer of 1829 at the ancient Moorish palace in Granada, which he called “one of the most remarkable, romantic, and delicious spots in the world.” This rich compendium of tales, deftly interwoven with historical accounts and picturesque sketches, was assembled from Spanish and Moorish folklore, history, guidebooks, and anecdotes of Irving’s experiences among the local residents. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

This carefully crafted ebook: "The Complete Works of Washington Irving: Short Stories, Plays, Historical Works, Poetry and Autobiographical Writings (Illustrated)” is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the 19th century. He is best known for his short stories Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of George Washington and Oliver Goldsmith, and several histories of 15th-century Spain, dealing with subjects such as the Moors and the Alhambra. Contents: INTRODUCTION SPEECH: NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 18, 1842 by Charles Dickens COLLECTIONS OF SHORT STORIES: THE SKETCH BOOK OF GEOFFREY CRAYON, GENT. Rip Van Winkle The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Old Christmas Roscoe The Wife TALES OF A TRAVELLER Strange Stories by a Nervous Gentleman Buckthorne and His Friends The Italian Banditti The Money Diggers BRACEBRIDGE HALL The Busy Man The Widow The Lovers Family Reliques An Old Soldier WOLFERT'S ROOST AND MISCELLANIES THE CRAYON PAPERS TRAVEL SKETCHES AND MEMOIRS: TALES OF THE ALHAMBRA ABBOTSFORD AND NEWSTEAD ABBY A TOUR ON THE PRAIRIES SATIRICAL WORKS: KNICKERBOCKER'S HISTORY OF NEW YORK LETTERS OF JONATHAN OLDSTYLE, GENT. HISTORICAL WORKS: THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE ASTORIA CHRONICLE OF THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA LIFE OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON: VOLUME I THE STUDENT'S LIFE OF WASHINGTON DRAMAS: THE WILD HUNTSMAN ABU HASSAN POEMS: ECHO AND SILENCE ON PASSAIC FALLS RHYMED ADDRESS THE DULL LECTURE TO MISS EMILY FOSTER ON HER BIRTHDAY SONG THE LAY OF THE SUNNYSIDE DUCKS SIGNS OF THE TIMES WRITTEN IN THE DEEP DENE ALBUM EXTRACTS FROM ABU HASSAN SONG FROM THE WILD HUNTSMAN CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN WASHINGTON IRVING AND EDGAR ALLAN POE BIOGRAPHY: WASHINGTON IRVING by Charles Dudley Warner