Great minds have purposes, little minds have wishes. 
                                                                – Washington Irving

About Washington Irving

Washington Irving, known for such stories as "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," is considered by many the father of the American short story. He was born in New York in 1783. Although he ultimately returned to New York, he lived in Europe for 17 years, working for the US Embassy. His extensive travels through the southern and western United States led to books about his tours. He took many years to recover from the death of his fiancée in 1809 and never married. He died in 1859.