Carl Sandburg: Adventures of a Poet

by Penelope Niven, Carl Sandburg, Marc Nadel (Illustrator)

Hobo. Soldier. Reporter. Musician. Husband and father. Storyteller. Historian.
Carl Sandburg was all of these things. But he distinguished himself above all as the Poet of the People, a traveler and dreamer who carried poems, stories, and songs in his heart--and shared them with the many people he met in his travels. Seamlessly joining scenes from Sandburg's life, highlights from his poems and prose, and historically detailed illustrations, this thorough and thoughtful portrait turns biography into its own adventure.
A time line and notes about the illustrations supplement the text.

Genres: Poetry, Biography, American History

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Penelope Niven is the author of critically acclaimed biographies of poet Carl Sandburg and photographer Edward Steichen. Her books include CARL SANDBURG: A BIOGRAPHY; STEICHEN: A BIOGRAPHY; VOICES AND SILENCES, co-authored with the actor James Earl Jones, and praised as a classic on acting; and SWIMMING LESSONS, a memoir. Her Steichen biography has just been translated into Chinese. CARL SANDBURG: ADVENTURES OF A POET, her biography for children, was awarded an International Reading Association Prize "for exceptionally distinguished literature for children," one of six books honored among publications from 99 countries. She is presently working on a biography of Thornton Wilder, to be published in 2012 by HarperCollins.

She has been awarded two honorary doctorates, three fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Thornton Wilder Visiting Fellowship at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, among other honors. She received the North Carolina Award in Literature, the highest honor the state bestows on an author. During the past twenty years she has lectured across the United States and in Switzerland, Canada and Wales, and has served as an editor for various publications and a consultant for television films on Sandburg, Jones, and Steichen. She has recently retired after twelve years as Writer-in-Residence at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Penelope Niven is the mother of award-winning author Jennifer Niven (THE ICE MASTER; ADA BLACKJACK: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL IN THE ARCTIC; VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO DRIVE; THE AQUA-NET DIARIES; and VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO FLY.)

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 28-page book provides an illustrated overview of a man whose name used to be familiar. I say 'used to be' because it's been years since I've heard anyone refer to Sandburg. I didn't know much about him, so I enjoyed meeting him through his own writings, art that meticulously reflects his life, and a brief overview of his multiple talents and experiences: vagabond, soldier, journalist, minstrel, family man, storyteller, historian, penpal, dreamer, and poet. Two times Pulitzer winner.

The back cover notes that this targets kids ages 6 to 9. I wonder who came up with that age range. This is not for any six-year-old I know. There's so much that is appropriate for the early elementary range, that I'd hold this back until at least age ten. This book will probably be most appreciated by older readers ... maybe even adults.

[Judith Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter found me a copy of this book at a Portland bookstore. I was born and lived nearly my first 50 years in Sandburg's hometown of Galesburg, Illinois. I'm also descended from Swedish immigrants just like Carl. These are terrific poems and great illustrations. I will treasure it and hand it down to my grandchildren. Here is Carl's inscription on the back cover. "Dear Young Folks. Some poems may please you for half minute & you don't care whether you keep them or not. Other poems you feel to be priceless & you hug them to heart & keep them for sure. Here in this books poems of each kind may be found: you do the finding. I sign this book for you saying love & blessings: may luck stars every be over you, Carl Sandburg.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to this book in a very roundabout way: I was reading about Penelope Niven's daughter, Jennifer, the author of All the Bright Places, and saw mention of this book. What an interesting life Penelope Niven led. I've also been interested due to the Indiana connections. I am ashamed to admit that I really do not know that much about Carl Sandburg; he led a fascinating life as well! I found myself looking for some of the recordings of him reading his works, looking up his home Connamorra in North Carolina, and more. The amount of research completed by Niven and the illustrator, Marc Nadel, is documented and adds to the authenticity of the book.

[Shanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Niven pairs biographical essays about Sandburg with examples of his writing. It was neat to see the connection between what happened in his life with what he wrote about. Some of Sandburg's pieces were just excerpts, rather than the complete work. There was some discontinuity with the biographical essays, as they were centered around different topics rather than a timeframe.

[Lady reading under the Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for an author/poet study, this is a lovely introduction to Carl Sandburg, his life, and works. Throughout the book, each verso featured a biographical sketch for a specific time in his life, while its facing recto had one of his corresponding poems or prose works, beautifully illustrated. In this way, the highlights of his whole life were covered. A timeline and booklist for further reading are included.

This is a wonderful resource for kids and adults alike.

[Arlene S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mixture of poetry and biographical information. Wonderful artwork enhances the book; apt matching of each poem with an illustration featuring an aspect of Sandburg's life, such as early life, soldier, vagabond journalist, etc.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice intro to the poet and his poetry.

[Linda Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize Sandburg's parents were just off the boat from Sweden. His poems paint pictures.