Book Description

General Series Editors: Gay Wilson Allen and Sculley Bradley Originally published between 1961 and 1984, and now available in paperback for the first time, the critically acclaimed Collected Writings of Walt Whitman captures every facet of one of America's most important poets. In discussing letter-writing, Whitman made his own views clear. Simplicity and naturalness were his guidelines. “I like my letters to be personal—very personal—and then stop.” The six volumes in The Correspondence comprise nearly 3,000 letters written over a half century, revealing Whitman the person as no other documents can. This supplement updates the Correspondence with nearly 100 letters that appeared after the publication of the first five volumes. Featured in this volume is the earliest known extant letter from the poet, written in 1841, as well as many others documenting Whitman's personal relationships and publishing ventures, both in America and abroad. Volume VI also includes a detailed analysis of Whitman's income and finances over the last twenty-six years of his life. With a list of corrections and additions to Volumes I–V and a Composite Index of all Whitman's letters, this volume completes the definitive edition of the correspondence of America's greatest poet.