Washington Irving was America's first internationally acclaimed author, perhaps most famous for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and "Rip van Winkle." After spending 17 years traveling through Europe in search of stories, Irving returned to the states and embarked on a series of nonfiction works, including histories, biographies, and other works. Read the full review: "Washington Irving: Three Western Narratives." Then, read some of the works of Washington Irving.