Other editions of book Leaves of Grass: authentic reproduction of the 1855 first edition

This edition of Leaves of Grass is a print of the original 1855 edition of the book. Leaves of Grass is a collection of poems that celebrate the beauty of the human body and the surrounding physical world, as well as that of the human mind and spirit. This controversial written work dared challenge the literary norms of its time, presenting a candid view of not only the virtues of society, but of its vices as well. Despite naming the collection Leaves of Grass, which was a play on the term that publishers used to degrade the value of a written work, the twelve poems contained within this book are timeless classics that can offer thought-provoking insights and fresh perspectives to the urbanized soul. These are best read while one is in communion with nature; the author had meant for the book to be taken along so that its contents can be read under the open skies. Leaves of Grass was written by Walt Whitman and was first published in 1855. This edition is a reprint of the original 1855 edition which is the best edition of this great book.

I am the poet of the body, And I am the poet of the soul. Published in 1855 at Walt Whitman's own expense, this monumental work showcases the uniquely American form of mysticism known as Transcendentalism. An idealistic philosophical and social movement, Transcendentalism maintained that divinity emanates from all of nature and humanity. Whitman's explosively innovative free verse style confounded many of his contemporaries, who were further shocked by his celebrations of the body and sexual love. This volume presents Whitman's original 12 poems, considered to be some of the greatest in the American canon, which continue to challenge conventional notions of beauty and originality.

Abraham Lincoln read it with approval, but Emily Dickinson described its bold language and themes as "disgraceful." And Ralph Waldo Emerson found Leaves of Grass "the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed," calling it a "combination of the Bhagavad Gita and the New York Herald." Published at the author's own expense on July 4, 1855, Leaves of Grass initially consisted of a preface, twelve untitled poems in free verse (including the work later titled "Song of Myself," which Malcolm Cowley called "one of the great poems of modern times"), and a now-famous portrait of a devil-may-care Walt Whitman in a workman's shirt. Over the next four decades, Whitman continually expanded and revised the book as he took on the role of a workingman's bard who championed American nationalism, political democracy, contemporary progress, and unashamed sex. This volume, which contains 383 poems, is the final "Deathbed Edition," which was published in 1892.

July 1983 Bantam Classic mass market paperback, O printing. Walt Whitman (Franklin Evans). The poems of Leaves of Grass are loosely connected, with each representing Whitman's celebration of his philosophy of life and humanity. This book is notable for its discussion of delight in sensual pleasures during a time when such candid displays were considered immoral. Where much previous poetry, especially English, relied on symbolism, allegory, and meditation on the religious and spiritual, Leaves of Grass (particularly the first edition) exalted the body and the material world. - Wikipedia

In response to Ralph Waldo Emerson's call for the United States to have its own unique poet, Walt Whitman rose to the challenge to create what would ultimately be his most profound work. Taking its title from the colloquial term "grass", meaning a work of minor value, Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" is anything but that. Over his lifetime Whitman would continue to expand and revise his most famous book up until his death in 1892. Here in this volume we reproduce the short collection of twelve poems of the very first edition, originally published in 1855.

From one of America's best loved and most important poets comes a masterpiece. Leaves of Grass is considered by many to be the greatest collection of poetry ever produced by an American. And this, the 1855 First Edition Text, is considered the strongest and most important of the many editions produced throughout Whitman's life. Here Whitman is at the height of his writing prowess, and no other edition would match it for strength and impact. "The most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

NMD Books is proud to publish this complete and unabridged Special Collectors Edition of the final "Deathbed Version" of Walt Whitman's literary classic, "Leaves Of Grass." (1892), and includes a Preface to the original 1855 Edition by Whitman himself. Leaves of Grass has its genesis in an essay called The Poet by Ralph Waldo Emerson, published in 1845, which expressed the need for the United States to have its own new and unique poet to write about the new country's virtues and vices. Whitman, reading the essay, consciously set out to answer Emerson's call as he began work on the first edition of Leaves of Grass. Few works of literature have as controversial and difficult a history. Unable to find a publisher willing to take on his pioneering and unusual work, he initially self-published it in 1855. Throughout it's turbulent history, the book was both praised and reviled by critics, many of whom took issue with its occassional emphasis on sensuality and references to same-sex attraction, something that was considered taboo during the mid-to-late 1800's. Eventually, 'Leaves of Grass' was accepted as a groundbreaking and innovative work of literary art, one which inspired other poets to express more universal themes of love, attraction, and stream-of-consciousness imagery. Whitman continued to write and re-write Leaves of Grass until his death in 1892, and by the time this last edition was completed, the manuscript had grown from a small book of 12 poems to a hefty tome of almost 400 poems. It has since enjoyed massive success and stood the test of time to become one of the greatest literary works of all time and taken its rightful place in literary history. "The most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom America has yet contributed" - Ralph Waldo Emerson "A work of great beauty, power and imagination." - Saturday Evening Post "Alive with the mythical strength and vitality that epitomized the American experience in the nineteenth century, Leaves of Grass continues to inspire, uplift, and unite those who read it." - New York Times