What made me truly enjoy this book was the ease that I could imagine Washing Irving life and all his friends. Johanna Johnston graceful writing and simplicity just made you enjoy all the picturesque views that Washington visited in his lifetime. From early American to England and all across Europe. She also made it easy to pick that even though Washington Irving had great many friends through the world that he held back a little bit of his heart that was given away to this first love. ( )