Though slow paced, I did enjoy some of these stories and essays, there are a wide range of adventures though most are based in England and seem to obsess over the 'old world'. Many are written so passionately and I've got to say that Irving can potray admiration well through his poetic writing style. My favourites in this book were; The Wife, Rip Van Winkle , Rural Funerals, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow was so good but more romance.