Washington Irving - sylwetka autora

An American writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat, active during the early 19th century, is best known for his short stories "Rip van Winkle" (1919) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820). His historical works include biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and George Washington, along with studies of 15th-century Spain covering topics like the Alhambra, Christopher Columbus, and the Moors. Serving as the U.S. ambassador to Spain from 1842 to 1846, he had an illustrious career in diplomacy. His literary journey began with a series of observant letters penned for the Morning Chronicle in 1802 under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle. In 1815, he relocated to England for family business and gained fame through the publication of "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent," released between 1819 and 1820. Throughout his life, he consistently published works, culminating in a five-volume biography of George Washington, completed just eight months before his passing at the age of 76.

He was among the first American authors to achieve significant recognition in Europe, paving the way for others like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Herman Melville, and Edgar Allan Poe. Additionally, his talent earned admiration from some British authors, including Lord Byron, Thomas Campbell, Charles Dickens, Francis Jeffrey, and Walter Scott. He was committed to elevating writing as a credible profession and sought enhanced legal protections for authors against copyright infringements.