Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Irving was one of the first American writers to achieve international fame and is considered to be the father of the American short story. Irving was born in New York City and educated at Columbia College. He began his career as a lawyer, but soon turned to writing. He wrote a number of books, including A History of New York, which was published under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker. He also wrote biographies of George Washington and Oliver Goldsmith. In addition to his writing, Irving was an active member of the diplomatic corps. He served as the U.S. Minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846 and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Irving's works are known for their humor, wit, and charm. He was a master of the short story form and his works are still widely read today. He is remembered as one of the most influential American writers of the 19th century.