Washington Irving\'s "Tales of the Alhambra" is really two books in one.
One can only imagine Irving\'s influence in shaping the Orientalist craze that played out in the Nineteenth C.
His beautifully detailled descriptions of the deteriorating palace and its inhabitants fit well within the romantic vision that was beginning to sweep Europe.
Irving was permitted to reside within the palace grounds.
The first section chronicles Irvings 1829 visit to the crumbling Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
Washington Irving\'s "Tales of the Alhambra" is really two books in one