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Leaves of Grass and Selected Poems and Prose
From A to Z, the Penguin Drop Caps series collects 26 unique hardcovers—featuring cover art by Jessica Hische
It all begins with a letter. Fall in love with Penguin Drop Caps, a new series of twenty-six collectible and hardcover editions, each with a type cover showcasing a gorgeously illustrated letter of the alphabet. In a design collaboration between Jessica Hische and Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, the series features unique cover art by Hische, a superstar in the world of type design and illustration, whose work has appeared everywhere from Tiffany & Co. to Wes Anderson's recent film Moonrise Kingdom to Penguin's own bestsellers Committed and Rules of Civility. With exclusive designs that have never before appeared on Hische's hugely popular Daily Drop Cap blog, the Penguin Drop Caps series debuted with an 'A' for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, a 'B' for Charlotte Brönte's Jane Eyre, and a 'C' for Willa Cather's My Ántonia. It continues with more perennial classics, perfect to give as elegant gifts or to showcase on your own shelves.
W is for Whitman. When Walt Whitman self-published his Leaves of Grass in July 1855, he altered the course of literary history. One of the greatest masterpieces of American literature, it redefined the rules of poetry while describing the soul of the American character. Throughout his life, Whitman continuously revised, expanded, and republished Leaves of Grass, but the 1855 original marked Whitman’s fresh and bold arrival, greeted by Ralph Waldo Emerson as “the beginning of a great career.” This volume specially compiled for Penguin Drop Caps will also include a range of additional popular poems including selections from "Calamus," "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," and "Drum-Taps," as well as Whitman’s 1855, 1856 and 1976 prefaces and “Democratic Vistas.”
It all begins with a letter. Fall in love with Penguin Drop Caps, a new series of twenty-six collectible and hardcover editions, each with a type cover showcasing a gorgeously illustrated letter of the alphabet. In a design collaboration between Jessica Hische and Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, the series features unique cover art by Hische, a superstar in the world of type design and illustration, whose work has appeared everywhere from Tiffany & Co. to Wes Anderson's recent film Moonrise Kingdom to Penguin's own bestsellers Committed and Rules of Civility. With exclusive designs that have never before appeared on Hische's hugely popular Daily Drop Cap blog, the Penguin Drop Caps series debuted with an 'A' for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, a 'B' for Charlotte Brönte's Jane Eyre, and a 'C' for Willa Cather's My Ántonia. It continues with more perennial classics, perfect to give as elegant gifts or to showcase on your own shelves.
W is for Whitman. When Walt Whitman self-published his Leaves of Grass in July 1855, he altered the course of literary history. One of the greatest masterpieces of American literature, it redefined the rules of poetry while describing the soul of the American character. Throughout his life, Whitman continuously revised, expanded, and republished Leaves of Grass, but the 1855 original marked Whitman’s fresh and bold arrival, greeted by Ralph Waldo Emerson as “the beginning of a great career.” This volume specially compiled for Penguin Drop Caps will also include a range of additional popular poems including selections from "Calamus," "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," and "Drum-Taps," as well as Whitman’s 1855, 1856 and 1976 prefaces and “Democratic Vistas.”
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
24 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Walt Whitman
1,803 books5,425 followersWalter Whitman Jr. was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some as obscene for its overt sensuality.
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. He worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt to reach out to the common person with an American epic. Whitman continued expanding and revising Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892.
During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. After suffering a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at the age of 72, his funeral was a public event.
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Art historian Mary Berenson wrote, "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet... He is America."
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 24, 2024
some beautiful beautiful parts and great quotes, also some realllllyyyy boring parts that were hard to get through at times. also probably a few things that went over my head. overall glad i read it!
July 31, 2019
I feel weird about rating this because there was so much that went way over my head, but the lines that struck me really struck me.
September 27, 2019
When it didn’t put me to sleep, I really enjoyed it.
Ladies, gentleman, non-binary aristocracy and everything outside and inbetween, step aside, because the cure for insomnia has been right there in front of our eyes all this time.
Yes, alright, that might be quite the overstatement, as I have not fallen in a endless slumber (yet) reading this book or else I wouldn’t be awake to write this review (although… it has taken me quite a while… hasn’t it…), and as you see I have given this 4 stars, and those weren’t for pity points and naps.
So, why, you might asked, have you given this book 4 stars, then?
That’s a bit of a tricky question.
You see, there are quite a few reasons why I could potentially have rated this lower:
-I’m more of a prose gal, and if I read poetry, I’m very dependent on them alliterations, rhymes, just some sort of regulations and rules I can apply to appease my desire to find harmony in books if I can’t find it in myself. (Apparently, I’m feeling particularly edgy today.)
-The endless and, more importantly, trivial enumerations really did put me to sleep (I was not exaggerating that part) – I put aside this book multiple times, because I just got way too tired to keep reading (especially during train rides), and there were a few parts where it took me two or three naps to power through them.
-Quite a few poems were themed around war, which is a subject matter I usually tend to avoid – in this case, I found myself enjoying them considerably more. Maybe because there was more going on then when I learned that the baker bakes bread and the shoemaker makes shoes and the dog makes woof and the cat makes meow… (not the exact wording, but way too close)
But, I hear you asking, the first question you asked yourself in this fictional conversation is why you rated this book as 4 stars, and we haven’t even actually asked that question – and still you told us only reasons why you shouldn’t have rated it 4 stars.
To that I say: patience (although you are very right).
So, the thing is, Whitman’s language is just amazing. Yes, there are parts that I felt were quite boring, but the sheer power of his words still captivated me and I saved so. many. quotes. Seriously, there were so many good parts, so many gems hidden inside this concrete blocks of triviality and boredom, and I found so much inspiration for one of the characters I have in mind for one of my countless writing projects that I’m really, really glad to have sat through all of it.
And really, what have I lost considering the only downside were free naps?
Also, have I mentioned it's queer?
[I’ll hopefully add some of my gazillion favourite quotes at some point, but currently I can’t be bothered :)]
Ladies, gentleman, non-binary aristocracy and everything outside and inbetween, step aside, because the cure for insomnia has been right there in front of our eyes all this time.
Yes, alright, that might be quite the overstatement, as I have not fallen in a endless slumber (yet) reading this book or else I wouldn’t be awake to write this review (although… it has taken me quite a while… hasn’t it…), and as you see I have given this 4 stars, and those weren’t for pity points and naps.
So, why, you might asked, have you given this book 4 stars, then?
That’s a bit of a tricky question.
You see, there are quite a few reasons why I could potentially have rated this lower:
-I’m more of a prose gal, and if I read poetry, I’m very dependent on them alliterations, rhymes, just some sort of regulations and rules I can apply to appease my desire to find harmony in books if I can’t find it in myself. (Apparently, I’m feeling particularly edgy today.)
-The endless and, more importantly, trivial enumerations really did put me to sleep (I was not exaggerating that part) – I put aside this book multiple times, because I just got way too tired to keep reading (especially during train rides), and there were a few parts where it took me two or three naps to power through them.
-Quite a few poems were themed around war, which is a subject matter I usually tend to avoid – in this case, I found myself enjoying them considerably more. Maybe because there was more going on then when I learned that the baker bakes bread and the shoemaker makes shoes and the dog makes woof and the cat makes meow… (not the exact wording, but way too close)
But, I hear you asking, the first question you asked yourself in this fictional conversation is why you rated this book as 4 stars, and we haven’t even actually asked that question – and still you told us only reasons why you shouldn’t have rated it 4 stars.
To that I say: patience (although you are very right).
So, the thing is, Whitman’s language is just amazing. Yes, there are parts that I felt were quite boring, but the sheer power of his words still captivated me and I saved so. many. quotes. Seriously, there were so many good parts, so many gems hidden inside this concrete blocks of triviality and boredom, and I found so much inspiration for one of the characters I have in mind for one of my countless writing projects that I’m really, really glad to have sat through all of it.
And really, what have I lost considering the only downside were free naps?
Also, have I mentioned it's queer?
[I’ll hopefully add some of my gazillion favourite quotes at some point, but currently I can’t be bothered :)]
July 10, 2019
This is a re-read and I still love it!
December 31, 2022
i love uncle walt
Read
April 7, 2024For National Poetry Month. 🌙 🤍 Learned a lot.
May 26, 2024
Ebullient, effervescent, sensual, and cheerfully self aggrandizing. Whitman is celebratory of life and humanity, and above all of himself. He challenges the self deprecation of my own self image.
July 20, 2023
The poems are certainly works of their time in subject matter and language (aka problematic in today’s world), but what surprises me most is the author. He had a universal kindness and a desire to understand the human condition, even the condition of humans unlike him, which is rare in literary canon… ya know, since most literary canon comes from cishet white men.
In some ways his work reminds me of all the inspirational quotes I saved as a teenager—kinda cheesy but well-meaning. Is Walt Whitman the original Tumblr girl? Maybe, albeit much more talented and more horny too. But I’m here for it because his prose is so, so pretty. His words strike and, when they do, they hit hard. Song of Myself is my favorite.
What’s his deal with presidents and god though? Both are recurring subjects yet I can‘t tell whether he loathes or loves either one. I’m intrigued.
In some ways his work reminds me of all the inspirational quotes I saved as a teenager—kinda cheesy but well-meaning. Is Walt Whitman the original Tumblr girl? Maybe, albeit much more talented and more horny too. But I’m here for it because his prose is so, so pretty. His words strike and, when they do, they hit hard. Song of Myself is my favorite.
What’s his deal with presidents and god though? Both are recurring subjects yet I can‘t tell whether he loathes or loves either one. I’m intrigued.
March 29, 2015
Truly stunning edition.
July 18, 2022
The good parts were beautiful, the dull parts were mind-numbingly boring.
Currently reading
December 22, 2014The prettiest book I've ever seen
December 30, 2025
"Encompass worlds but never try to encompass me,
I crowd your noisiest talk by looking towards you.
Writing and talk do not prove me,
I carry the plenum of proof and every thing else in my face,
With the hush of my lips, I confound the topmost skeptic"
In all honesty, I had hardly heard of Whitman until Beth Brower's "The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion" when E.M.L. receives a copy of 'Song of Myself'. So I decided to try it out on my own. And WOW.
"I am not a bit tamed...I too am untranslateable"
In a word, his poetry is intoxicating. He provides an interesting picture in a few words and presents all kinds of people as equals. Each stanza is beautiful (in my unasked for opinion), and leaves little to be desired.
Things to mention: several mentions of war, death, battle, prostitutes, lovers, and a few poems throughout the book that describe the human body, a few innuendos.
Whitman mentions God more than once, but not necessarily in a Christian sense. Heaven and hell are both spoken of, and, once again, it does not retain the Christian understanding of either place.
While I'd suggest the book for anyone seeking good, unique poetry, I would not ignore my warning mentions, especially if you are more sensitive to these previously stated topics.
I crowd your noisiest talk by looking towards you.
Writing and talk do not prove me,
I carry the plenum of proof and every thing else in my face,
With the hush of my lips, I confound the topmost skeptic"
In all honesty, I had hardly heard of Whitman until Beth Brower's "The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion" when E.M.L. receives a copy of 'Song of Myself'. So I decided to try it out on my own. And WOW.
"I am not a bit tamed...I too am untranslateable"
In a word, his poetry is intoxicating. He provides an interesting picture in a few words and presents all kinds of people as equals. Each stanza is beautiful (in my unasked for opinion), and leaves little to be desired.
Things to mention: several mentions of war, death, battle, prostitutes, lovers, and a few poems throughout the book that describe the human body, a few innuendos.
Whitman mentions God more than once, but not necessarily in a Christian sense. Heaven and hell are both spoken of, and, once again, it does not retain the Christian understanding of either place.
While I'd suggest the book for anyone seeking good, unique poetry, I would not ignore my warning mentions, especially if you are more sensitive to these previously stated topics.
August 28, 2017
Everyone who reads this poems will be feel like grass in large land, without human...
March 1, 2021
some were good, some were just boring.
February 13, 2022
Took me a while to get through but worth it. Walt Whitman's language is music, but not one that the general public can't understand. Contemplative and nice to read before bed.
March 22, 2023
Paper & Glam Book Club April 2017
September 8, 2024
It’s Walt Whitman. What review could I do?
March 30, 2025
Read-aloud to E--first major work of poetry, I believe.
Whitman's lust for life is palpable (and worldview includes a large breadth of humanity i.e. women & enslaved persons, which is refreshing for a white man writing in the 1850s), but it's a long 270 pages.
The book is large, and it contains multitudes...of repetitive language.
Whitman's lust for life is palpable (and worldview includes a large breadth of humanity i.e. women & enslaved persons, which is refreshing for a white man writing in the 1850s), but it's a long 270 pages.
The book is large, and it contains multitudes...of repetitive language.
April 24, 2017
About:
Leaves of Grass and Selected Poems and Prose is a collection of poems and a little bit of prose written by Walt Whitman. This edition contains the original Leaves of Grass that was published in 1855 amongst other pieces of poetry and a few prose pieces.
Did I Like It?:
I really liked this collection. I first came across Walt Whitman’s work when I was in high school when I had to read the poem Song of Myself. It profoundly impacted me. It was one of the poems that made me fall in love with poetry to begin with and it hugely impacted my views on life. After having read that various times I thought it was time to read some of his other work. I of course got to reread Song of Myself once again, which was great as well as discovering some other wonderful poems. Whitman had such deep and profound views on life. His poems make you understand the unity of all things and the connection of all life forms. The way he uses ‘catalogues’ by basically listing a bunch of different things really makes you feel like he is encompassing so many aspects of life and so many different types of people. His views about the human spirit, the vastness of the self, the beauty of life, the nature of time and the immortality of the soul are truly beautiful. I am happy to call Walt Whitman one of my favorite poets.
Favorite Poems:
I liked just about all the poems from the original Leaves of Grass. They were fantastic! Besides that I liked Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, Spontaneous Me, From Pent-Up Aching Rivers, and A Noiseless Patient Spider. I wasn’t too fond of the prose however, although there were only a few pieces.
Do I Recommend It?:
Most Definitely! If you love classic poetry, are a fan of Song of Myself, or are looking for a poetry collection that is profound and will affect your views on life this is probably a good collection for you to pick up!
Leaves of Grass and Selected Poems and Prose is a collection of poems and a little bit of prose written by Walt Whitman. This edition contains the original Leaves of Grass that was published in 1855 amongst other pieces of poetry and a few prose pieces.
Did I Like It?:
I really liked this collection. I first came across Walt Whitman’s work when I was in high school when I had to read the poem Song of Myself. It profoundly impacted me. It was one of the poems that made me fall in love with poetry to begin with and it hugely impacted my views on life. After having read that various times I thought it was time to read some of his other work. I of course got to reread Song of Myself once again, which was great as well as discovering some other wonderful poems. Whitman had such deep and profound views on life. His poems make you understand the unity of all things and the connection of all life forms. The way he uses ‘catalogues’ by basically listing a bunch of different things really makes you feel like he is encompassing so many aspects of life and so many different types of people. His views about the human spirit, the vastness of the self, the beauty of life, the nature of time and the immortality of the soul are truly beautiful. I am happy to call Walt Whitman one of my favorite poets.
Favorite Poems:
I liked just about all the poems from the original Leaves of Grass. They were fantastic! Besides that I liked Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, Spontaneous Me, From Pent-Up Aching Rivers, and A Noiseless Patient Spider. I wasn’t too fond of the prose however, although there were only a few pieces.
Do I Recommend It?:
Most Definitely! If you love classic poetry, are a fan of Song of Myself, or are looking for a poetry collection that is profound and will affect your views on life this is probably a good collection for you to pick up!
June 24, 2016
Whitman is a dude. Of him I am a fan, so why didn't I fall for his writing skills? I tried, I promise!
Walt (I'm going to call him Walt. I'm sure we'd be friends.), Walt's poetry is wonderfully accessible, easy to understand, but, for whatever reason, I just can not concentrate on his words. My mind wanders. I love his positivity mixed with a good dose of realism. I am surprised by how sensual Walt can be. Most of his poems contain at least one sensuous moment.
Poems I liked a lot were 'Whoever You Are Holding....', 'Mannahatta' and 'Vigil Strange I Kept...', which was particularly beautiful.
I unfortunately had the same concentration problems with Walt's prose work. I realise this volume is not a complete collection of his work, so maybe there exists other works by him I would like, but I'm not in any hurry to discover them. Unless someone can convince me otherwise.....
Walt (I'm going to call him Walt. I'm sure we'd be friends.), Walt's poetry is wonderfully accessible, easy to understand, but, for whatever reason, I just can not concentrate on his words. My mind wanders. I love his positivity mixed with a good dose of realism. I am surprised by how sensual Walt can be. Most of his poems contain at least one sensuous moment.
Poems I liked a lot were 'Whoever You Are Holding....', 'Mannahatta' and 'Vigil Strange I Kept...', which was particularly beautiful.
I unfortunately had the same concentration problems with Walt's prose work. I realise this volume is not a complete collection of his work, so maybe there exists other works by him I would like, but I'm not in any hurry to discover them. Unless someone can convince me otherwise.....
December 30, 2021
I guess Walt Whitman is a poet that I'll never get invested in. While there is hardly any poem in this collection that caught my fancy, most of the poems felt repetitive and dragged out for me. The metaphors at times go on for too long and up to a point where they start to lose their beauty. So maybe no Whitman for me
June 16, 2016
This was an excellent collection of some of his best works - including the body electric. His prose completed the book, with the last entry being a letter sent home to a deceased Civil War soldier's family. Recommended.
March 29, 2017
Truly beautiful
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews