Wаshingtоn Irving is regаrded аs America's first great shоrt stоry writer. After reading some of Irving's work, in your opinion, what was it that made him such an effective writer. Was it personal experience? Did his technique and storytelling ability cause him to excel? How did the limited entertainment of his day give rise to his popularity? Finally, are his short stories as important today as they were in the early 19th century? Why or why not?