*multiple copies owned*

The sketch book is a collection of essays and stories, part log of his travels in England and part tales from the States including the "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". His descriptions of scenes and characters are noteworthy. ( )

I just finished reading Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".It was included in a 34 story anthology "The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon" by Washington Irving,

Reading his words, the images evoked in my imagination were full-bodied, sometimes scary, and sometimes just delightful. Best of all by reading Irving's words I was able to see Ichabod Crane as the male who thinks he is so hot but not. I made the mistake of reading an adapted, simplified version a few weeks ago - so much was thrown away. Stick with the real deal, the language and ideas are not at all archaic. ( )

age wear but VG overal ( )

I've only read Little Britain...

With my own #6Degrees as a catalyst, I read this on a whim. It had been lurking on my Kindle for so long that until I opened it up last weekend, I had no idea that it was only a brief travel piece, written by Washington Irving (1783-1859) during his sojourn in England in the early 19th century.

As you can see from his entry at Wikipedia, Irving led a most interesting life. Born in Manhattan in 1783, he was a short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and a diplomat, serving as Secretary to the American Legation in London in 1829 and Minister to Spain in 1842. But before that he had forged a career as a writer, and is reckoned to be the first American to earn his living by the pen.

'Little Britain' is a mere 26 pages long, and it takes no time at all to read. It's a whimsical travel piece, describing an area in London now at the southern end of the A1. Irving called it the heart’s core of the city; the stronghold of true John Bullism.

In the centre of the great city of London lies a small neighbourhood, consisting of a cluster of narrow streets and courts, of very venerable and debilitated houses, which goes by the name of LITTLE BRITAIN. Christ Church School and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital bound it on the west; Smithfield and Long Lane on the north; Aldersgate Street, like an arm of the sea, divides it from the eastern part of the city; whilst the yawning gulf of Bull-and-Mouth Street separates it from Butcher Lane, and the regions of Newgate. Over this little territory, thus bounded and designated, the great dome of St. Paul’s, swelling above the intervening houses of Paternoster Row, Amen Corner, and Ave Maria Lane, looks down with an air of motherly protection.

Although it's designed to amuse, 'Little Britain' is not just a witty piece of commentary. Its pseudo-nostalgic tone points to a area now in transition from its old traditions.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2022/03/07/little-britain-by-washington-irving/ ( )