Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow  By  cover art

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

By: Washington Irving
Narrated by: Anthony Heald
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $5.42

Buy for $5.42

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, New York, in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane arrives to educate the children of the region. This lanky schoolmaster from Connecticut fancies the idea of marrying the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, the 18-year-old daughter of a wealthy farmer, but there is a problem with his plan. Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt, the town rowdy, has already set his heart on marrying her.

This romantic rivalry climaxes one autumn night with the appearance of the legendary Headless Horseman, allegedly the ghost of a Hessian trooper who lost his head to a cannonball during the Revolutionary War. Every night he rides through the woods to the scene of the battle in search of his head.

Since this story’s first appearance in 1820, generations of readers, young and old, have thrilled to the headless horseman galloping through the haunted woods of Sleepy Hollow. The rollicking tale of Ichabod Crane and his ill-fated courtship of Katrina Van Tassel has become a classic ghost story.

Public Domain (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“[This story’s] unprecedented success allowed Irving to devote himself to a career as a professional author.” ( Encyclopedia of Literature)

What listeners say about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,387
  • 4 Stars
    1,033
  • 3 Stars
    547
  • 2 Stars
    145
  • 1 Stars
    50
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,581
  • 4 Stars
    727
  • 3 Stars
    225
  • 2 Stars
    42
  • 1 Stars
    19
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,952
  • 4 Stars
    892
  • 3 Stars
    524
  • 2 Stars
    141
  • 1 Stars
    63

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love the original

The voice sounds a little like the narrator from Disneys Haunted Mansion. It's a great Halloween listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well Read

One of my favourite stories! It was preformed very well! Beautiful, clean, and the perfect use of inflection.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a simple tale but Irving’s use of language makes this short story feel like epic poetry. I only give five stars for works that I play on reading again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

I always love, this story, make me remember when I was a child . ❤❤❤❤

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Melodic

There is a flow and word choice to the writing that is evocative and does an excellent job of setting a tone. Listening made me want to write my own ghost stories with the same level of detail that makes the world feel "real". I mean, why explain the horse's name is Gun Powder and that he has a mischievous spirit if not to make it feel like a lived in world with its own sense of reality?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Family fun

This is a family friendly book, short and sweet. Language is a bit dated, culturally speaking, but not too offensive. Spooky but not scary.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Timeless Scary Tale

Irving's use of words and description is absolutely remarkable in this short, silly, & scary tale. One that will be timeless when read on a stormy night or on a rainy evening. Excellent writing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Tragic romantic horror

A quick listen, the narrator's voice making it easy to pay attention. The true story is in its details, for one could easily tell the basics of this story in a decent sized paragraph, but the details make it flourish. As one who loves storytelling, this is one tale that I use as an example of how to bring your listeners inside the world with you. Truly remarkable, in my opinion.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Where is the story?

You should only listen to this book if you are not interested in the headless horseman's storry at all but you would rather listen to landscape and random person descriptions

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Better every time

This story.. It just gets better and better ,everytime I read or listen to this work. What great narration Anthony Heald. Thank you for your efforts on this classic. Happy Halloween!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful