pIn this collection of thirty-four essays and short stories, Washington Irving explores the personality of his pseudonym, Geoffrey Crayon, while providing a study on human behavior. iRip Van Winkle i introduces the famed literacy title character, an unmotivated, care-free man who drinks and parties with strangers in the mountains, falls asleep, and wakes up twenty years later in post-revolution America. Also among this collection are tales of sentiment, such as iThe Broken Heart, i which follows a young woman who grieves the death of her lover. Often described as a tear-jerking narrative, iThe Widow and Her Son i depicts an old Englishwoman as she cares for her dying son after his return from his military service at sea. Switching moods, i A Sunday in London i provides a vivid portrait of a day in London, focusing on the ways the Church influenced the day's events. In a similar observant lens, iThe Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon i includes a five-part narrative on Christmas celebration