An American poet and educator, his work is categorised as lyric poetry. Longfellow was the most popular poet of his day. As a friend once wrote, "no other poet was so fully recognised in his lifetime". Many of his works helped shape the American character and its legacy, particularly with the poem "Paul Revere's Ride". He was such an admired figure in the United States during his life that his 70th birthday in 1877 took on the air of a national holiday, with parades, speeches, and the reading of his poetry.