Rip Van Winkle, by Washington Irving

"Rip Van Winkle"is about a man who sleeps for twenty years. He does not like his wife and his only excuse for leaving his house is to go hunt in the forest. Rip liked to help people with chores. One day, when he was out hunting, Rip heard someone call his name. He saw a strange looking man, holding a big barrel. He offered to help the man. The man gave him the barrel and started to walk on.  When they get to where they needed to be, Rip starts to drink what ever was in the barrel. He becomes very tired and ends up sleeping for 20 years. But to Rip, it only felt like a day. He wakes up not knowing what is going on in the world, but soon figures it out.

Rip Van Winkle, Dame Van Winkle, Rip Van Winkle Jr., Judith Van Winkle and Wolf are the characters in the book. Rip is the main character. He does not like his wife, likes to hunt and hang out with his friends and his dog. Dame Van Winkle is Rip's wife. She complains a lot and the book describes her as, "sour, not sweet." Rip Jr. is Rip Van Winkle's son and Judith Van Winkle is his daughter, by the end of the book she is Judith Gardenier. Wolf is Rip's dog. Wolf is afraid of Dame and is Rip's best friend.

It was a good book, some parts were a little slow. One of the parts I found a little boring was when the book starts to talk about Rip and his friends sitting around talking about politics. It wasn't the best part. My favorite part was when Rip went back to the town after being asleep for 20 years. It was cool because you find out how much Rip had missed and the reactions he and the people living in the town had toward what was going on.

I visualized while I was reading. It has always been a good strategy for me because I love TV, so visualizing gives reading the effect of watching TV. While I was reading I thought of Rip walking or hunting in the Catskills where the book takes place. I also saw him holding the barrel for that man. After he woke up I saw an old man, walking through the town and the look on everyones faces once they heard after he had told them.

Washington Irving is one of may favorite authors. His stories are fun and exciting. My favorite is "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". He also wrote the story "Golden Dreams". His books have some humor, but aren't laugh out loud funny. "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" are his two most popular stories. Both take place in New York. "Rip Van Winkle" takes place by the Catskills, and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" takes place right by the Hudson river.