Books with author Justin Kaplan

This Library of America edition is the biggest and best edition of Walt Whitman's writings ever published. It includes all of his poetry and what he considered his complete prose. It is also the only collection that includes, in exactly the form in which it appeared in 1855, the first edition of Leaves of Grass. This was the book, a commercial failure, which prompted Emerson’s famous message to Whitman: “I greet you at the beginning of a great career.” These twelve poems, including what were later to be entitled “Song of Myself” and “I Sing the Body Electric,” and a preface announcing the author’s poetic theories were the first stage of a massive, lifelong work. Six editions and some thirty-seven years later, Leaves of Grass became one of the central volumes in the history of world poetry. Each edition involved revisions of earlier poems and the incorporation of new ones. As it progressed, it was hailed by Emerson, Thoreau, Rosetti and others, but was also, as with the sixth edition in 1881–82, beset by charges of obscenity for such poems as “A Woman Waits for Me.” Printed here is the final, great culminating edition of 1891–92, the last supervised by Whitman himself just before his death. Whitman’s prose is no less extraordinary. Specimen Days and Collect (1882) includes reminiscences of nineteenth-century New York City that will fascinate readers in the twenty-first, notes on the Civil War, especially his service in Washington hospitals, and trenchant comments on books and authors. Democratic Vistas (1871), in its attacks on the misuses of national wealth after the Civil War, is relevant to conditions in our own time, and November Boughs (1888) brings together retrospective prefaces, opinions, and random autobiographical bits that are in effect an extended epilogue on Whitman’s life, works, and times.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

When Connecticut mechanic and foreman Hank Morgan is knocked unconscious, he wakes not to the familiar scenes of nineteenth-century America but to the bewildering sights and sounds of sixth-century Camelot. Although confused at first and quickly imprisoned, he soon realises that his knowledge of the future can transform his fate. Correctly predicting a solar eclipse from inside his prison cell, Morgan terrifies the people of England into releasing him and swiftly establishes himself as the most powerful magician in the land, stronger than Merlin and greatly admired by Arthur himself. But the Connecticut Yankee wishes for more than simply a place at the Round Table. Soon, he begins a far greater struggle: to bring American democratic ideals to Old England. Complex and fascinating, A Connecticut Yankee is a darkly comic consideration of the nature of human nature and society.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Open Up Your Egyptian Treasure Box!Enter a world where gods and goddesses bring about the most mysterious of worlds, where a lasting kingdom is formed and a legendary empire follows; where myths are told that echo throughout centuries and beyond: The treasure that is Egyptian mythology is an undeniable pleasure to read. Explore another world of ancient times, never to be forgotten.The motifs of the famous Egyptian tales are similar to that of many other mythologies: Magic is a handy way to explain the extraordinary; the heroes are larger-than-life, as they are quite literally the gods that bring about the nature of the universe; harrowing journeys are undertaken; the underworld is as real as this world, and the afterlife must be carefully prepared for; battles are fought and empires are forged. The Egyptians were one of the most successful empires in history, and their legacy survives because their traditions and texts were preserved in the most elaborate tombs created by civilization. We can see the Egyptian evolution from warring tribes, to a unified kingdom, to a triumphant and long-lasting empire through the thread of their treasure trove of myths and tales.This book can take you through that journey, beginning with an overview of the Egyptian peoples and cultures, and into an understanding of their pantheon of gods and goddesses, to beautiful and haunting tales of creation and ritual, and into a glimpse into who these peoples actually were via the stories they held dear. Some specific elements you will encounter:Some of the main gods of the Egyptian pantheon, with all their quirks and foiblesThe beauty of the devotion of Isis to the tragic god Osiris and their son HorusThe lasting devotion to animal heroes—from Anubis the Jackal to Bastet the CatOne of the most complex and fascinating stories of Creation—Maat and TimeThe everlasting brilliance of the ultimate Sun God, RaThe making of the pharaohs—from kings to divine beingsMystical ritual and unending cycle of life—from Osiris to the Book of the DeadThe devotion to death and the devourers of lightThe unfailing devotion in all daily life to the preservation of balance and harmonyA glimpse into all of the myriad ways that Egyptian culture and its mythology still yet influence our world todayEgyptian mythology is diverse and fascinating, offering us an insight into how ancient people believed and lived, what they valued and vilified, and how they existed and thrived. Finally, if you have enjoyed these treasured tales of Egyptian mythology, don’t forget to explore the other fantastic realms of mythological magic in this series of books: Treasures of Egyptian Mythology, Treasures of Norse Mythology, Treasures of Roman Mythology, and Treasures of Greek Mythology. You will find yourself in awe of the sweeping scope of history and culture represented by these mythological traditions, as well as have a better understanding of how we continually make and re-make these myths for our own times. That’s the fabulous thing about myths: They never truly die.

Open Up Your Egyptian Treasure Box!Enter a world where gods and goddesses bring about the most mysterious of worlds, where a lasting kingdom is formed and a legendary empire follows; where myths are told that echo throughout centuries and beyond: The treasure that is Egyptian mythology is an undeniable pleasure to read. Explore another world of ancient times, never to be forgotten.The motifs of the famous Egyptian tales are similar to that of many other mythologies: Magic is a handy way to explain the extraordinary; the heroes are larger-than-life, as they are quite literally the gods that bring about the nature of the universe; harrowing journeys are undertaken; the underworld is as real as this world, and the afterlife must be carefully prepared for; battles are fought and empires are forged. The Egyptians were one of the most successful empires in history, and their legacy survives because their traditions and texts were preserved in the most elaborate tombs created by civilization. We can see the Egyptian evolution from warring tribes, to a unified kingdom, to a triumphant and long-lasting empire through the thread of their treasure trove of myths and tales.This book can take you through that journey, beginning with an overview of the Egyptian peoples and cultures, and into an understanding of their pantheon of gods and goddesses, to beautiful and haunting tales of creation and ritual, and into a glimpse into who these peoples actually were via the stories they held dear. Some specific elements you will encounter:Some of the main gods of the Egyptian pantheon, with all their quirks and foiblesThe beauty of the devotion of Isis to the tragic god Osiris and their son HorusThe lasting devotion to animal heroes—from Anubis the Jackal to Bastet the CatOne of the most complex and fascinating stories of Creation—Maat and TimeThe everlasting brilliance of the ultimate Sun God, RaThe making of the pharaohs—from kings to divine beingsMystical ritual and unending cycle of life—from Osiris to the Book of the DeadThe devotion to death and the devourers of lightThe unfailing devotion in all daily life to the preservation of balance and harmonyA glimpse into all of the myriad ways that Egyptian culture and its mythology still yet influence our world todayEgyptian mythology is diverse and fascinating, offering us an insight into how ancient people believed and lived, what they valued and vilified, and how they existed and thrived. Finally, if you have enjoyed these treasured tales of Egyptian mythology, don’t forget to explore the other fantastic realms of mythological magic in this series of books: Treasures of Egyptian Mythology, Treasures of Norse Mythology, Treasures of Roman Mythology, and Treasures of Greek Mythology. You will find yourself in awe of the sweeping scope of history and culture represented by these mythological traditions, as well as have a better understanding of how we continually make and re-make these myths for our own times. That’s the fabulous thing about myths: They never truly die.

Open Up Your Egyptian Treasure Box!Enter a world where gods and goddesses bring about the most mysterious of worlds, where a lasting kingdom is formed and a legendary empire follows; where myths are told that echo throughout centuries and beyond: The treasure that is Egyptian mythology is an undeniable pleasure to read. Explore another world of ancient times, never to be forgotten.The motifs of the famous Egyptian tales are similar to that of many other mythologies: Magic is a handy way to explain the extraordinary; the heroes are larger-than-life, as they are quite literally the gods that bring about the nature of the universe; harrowing journeys are undertaken; the underworld is as real as this world, and the afterlife must be carefully prepared for; battles are fought and empires are forged. The Egyptians were one of the most successful empires in history, and their legacy survives because their traditions and texts were preserved in the most elaborate tombs created by civilization. We can see the Egyptian evolution from warring tribes, to a unified kingdom, to a triumphant and long-lasting empire through the thread of their treasure trove of myths and tales.This book can take you through that journey, beginning with an overview of the Egyptian peoples and cultures, and into an understanding of their pantheon of gods and goddesses, to beautiful and haunting tales of creation and ritual, and into a glimpse into who these peoples actually were via the stories they held dear. Some specific elements you will encounter: Some of the main gods of the Egyptian pantheon, with all their quirks and foiblesThe beauty of the devotion of Isis to the tragic god Osiris and their son HorusThe lasting devotion to animal heroes--from Anubis the Jackal to Bastet the CatOne of the most complex and fascinating stories of Creation--Maat and TimeThe everlasting brilliance of the ultimate Sun God, RaThe making of the pharaohs--from kings to divine beingsMystical ritual and unending cycle of life--from Osiris to the Book of the DeadThe devotion to death and the devourers of lightThe unfailing devotion in all daily life to the preservation of balance and harmonyA glimpse into all of the myriad ways that Egyptian culture and its mythology still yet influence our world todayEgyptian mythology is diverse and fascinating, offering us an insight into how ancient people believed and lived, what they valued and vilified, and how they existed and thrived. Finally, if you have enjoyed these treasured tales of Egyptian mythology, don't forget to explore the other fantastic realms of mythological magic in this series of books: Treasures of Egyptian Mythology, Treasures of Norse Mythology, Treasures of Roman Mythology, and Treasures of Greek Mythology. You will find yourself in awe of the sweeping scope of history and culture represented by these mythological traditions, as well as have a better understanding of how we continually make and re-make these myths for our own times. That's the fabulous thing about myths: They never truly die.