Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Set in the Hudson Valley in New York State in 1790, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the story of Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher who is wooing the daughter of a local wealthy farmer. Superstitious and gullible, Crane is a believer in the many supernatural tales circulating in the Dutch community who settled there. Late one autumn night, as he rides home having lost out to a rival suitor, he encounters his worst fear: the headless horseman, thought to be the ghost of a decapitated soldier from the Revolutionary War…
This edition, beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham and introduced by Jonathan Kruk, The Legend storyteller, reproduces Irving’s original tale. First published in 1820, it became the inspiration for many adaptations ranging from silent film, animation and blockbuster movies to musicals and graphic novels. It is now inextricably associated with Halloween.
WASHINGTON IRVING (1783–1859) was an American writer and journalist, regarded by many as the founding father of American literature.
ARTHUR RACKHAM (1867–1939) was a leading book illustrator of his generation.
JONATHAN KRUK is a storyteller based in New York State and the author of The Legends and Law of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley (2011).