Washington Irving published 2 novels, 2 novellas, 5 short story collections, 14 non-fiction books, 2 children's books, 1 poetry collection and 2 other books, beginning with Bracebridge Hall (1822). The best-known is Tales of the Alhambra (1832).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Washington Irving
Start here
Tales of the Alhambra
Washington Irving's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty (1809)
Mark Twain's Library of Humour (1903)
Novellas in order
Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle (1802)
Old Christmas (1876)
Short story collections in order
The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (1819)
Tales of a Traveller (1824)
The Crayon Miscellany (1835)
Rip Van Winkle (1850)
Wolfert's Roost and Other Papers (1854)
Non-fiction in order
A Tour on the Prairies (1800)
Voyages and Discoveries of the Companions of Columbus (1800)
Salmagundi; or The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. & Others (1807), with James Kirke Paulding
A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828)
Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada (1829)
Adventures of Captain Bonneville (1837)
The Rocky Mountains (1837)
A History of New York (1839)
The Works of Washington Irving (1848)
Life of Oliver Goldsmith (1849)
Mahomet and His Successors (1849)
Life of George Washington (1855)
The Life of Washington (1856)
Children's books in order
Bracebridge Hall (1822)
Tales of the Alhambra (1832)
Poetry in order
Biography And Poetical Remains Of The Late Margaret Miller Davidson (1841)
Other books in order
The Alhambra (1833)
Film and TV adaptations
- El embrujo del Sur (2003)Film · from Tales of the Alhambra
Free to read
All free classicsThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon
Knickerbocker's History of New York, Complete
Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada, from the mss. of Fray Antonio Agapida
Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists
The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Volume II)
The Adventures of Captain Bonneville, U. S. A., in the Rocky Mountains and the Far West
Life of George Washington, volume 1 of 5
The Student's Life of Washington
Oliver Goldsmith
Spanish Papers
Wolfert's Roost, and Miscellanies
The Crayon Papers
Little Britain
About Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820), both of which appear in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works include biographies of the writer Oliver Goldsmith, Islamic prophet Muhammad, and also first U.S. president George Washington, as well as several histories of 15th-century Spain that deal with topics such as the Alhambra palace, the European discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, and the Reconquista. Irving served as the American ambassador to Spain in the 1840s.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Washington Irving FAQ
- How many books has Washington Irving written?
- Washington Irving published 2 novels, 2 novellas, 5 short story collections, 14 non-fiction books, 2 children's books, 1 poetry collection and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Washington Irving's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Tales of the Alhambra.
- What is Washington Irving's last book?
- The Life of Washington (1856).
- What is Washington Irving's most famous book?
- Tales of the Alhambra (1832) is Washington Irving's most widely read book.
- Does Washington Irving write under a pen name?
- Yes: Washington Irving has also published as Geoffrey Crayon, Launcelot Langstaff and Diedrich Knickerbocker.
- Which Washington Irving books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including Tales of the Alhambra (as El embrujo del Sur, film, 2003).
- Can I read Washington Irving's books for free?
- Yes. 31 books by Washington Irving are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Washington Irving
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.