Author washington irving biography of george washington

Washington Irving was one of the most famous American authors of the nineteenth century. While he is primarily remembered for short stories such as “Rip van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” he also penned an extensive biography of George Washington.

 

Born in New York City, Irving was the eighth child in his family. Both of his parents emigrated from England to New York twenty years earlier, and his father became a merchant to support the family.¹ As Irving grew up, he found that the things that gave him the most joy in life were reading, drawing, and writing.² At the age of nineteen, he began to pursue his passions by writing essays in his brother’s newspaper The Morning Chronicle.

Author washington irving biography of george washington carver

By 1819, he made the bold decision to try to make a living through writing alone. Irving felt that he was unsuited for any other form of occupation, and that he was determined to succeed in making a name for himself through writing literature.

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