Washington Irving

An item at American Writers Museum

Born into a prosperous New York family and named after America's first president, Washington Irving deliberately set out to create uniquely American folktales. In his best-known stories, "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820), he invented characters who remain a vital part of American lore.

An international success, Irving wrote fiction celebrating the liberated spirit of his young, hopeful nation, tending toward the humorous, the irreverent, and the satirical. But he also had a serious side. He wrote a five-volume biography of George Washington and advocated for American writers and copyright protection.

AMERICAN VOICES

An exhibit at American Writers Museum

American writing is distinctive, diverse, and comes in many forms from across the nation. The 100 authors featured here represent the evolution of American writing. Learn more about each writer on the timeline by turning the panels below their portraits. Explore centuries of writing by pulling, turning, and touching the interactive elements on the counter.

This is not meant to be a list of the greatest or most influential writers. Instead, we present authors and works as part of the American story as it grows and changes. Taken together, this rich literary heritage reflects America in all of its complexity: its energy, hope, conflict, disillusionment, and creativity.

American Writers Museum