Washington Irving (1783 - 1859) was an American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. "Tales of the Alhambra" is a collection of essays, sketches and stories. The Alhambra is a palace located in Granada, in the south of Spain. The book consists of a collection of enchanting Spanish and Moorish legends, folktales, and myths about the palace and its surroundings, along with some more traditional travel narratives and observational essays about the country and its customs.