Walt Whitman Biography and latest books by Walt Whitman

Walter Whitman was born on May 13, 1819 in West hills, Long Island, New York. He was an American poet, journalist, essayist and a humanist. He is also known as the most influential American poet. Though his works were controversial at times, he is known as The Father of Verse.

Walt Whitman was born to a Quaker carpenter, Walter and Louisa Van Velsor Whitman. As a child he was a lover of nature and read classics very early on. He was inspired by writers like Hegel, Goethe, Emerson and Carlyle. He left high school before he could finish it to become an apprentice of a printer. Besides being a poet he tried his hands at various other jobs like journalism, teaching, government clerk and a volunteer as a nurse during the American Civil War.

During the early 1850s he began writing a series of poems which later on came out as Leaves of Grass in the year 1855. He used his own money to publish the first edition of Leaves Of Grass. The first edition was widely distributed and generated lots of interest among people. However he received the greatest praise from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Apparently Emerson wrote a five paged letter praising Walt for his great work. However there were some people who thought Leaves of Grass was very obscene.

 The second edition of Leaves of Grass was nearly stalled by the publishers after some critics said it had offensive sexual themes. However it was released in the year 1856 with an additional twenty poems. Some great writers who actually admired Walt Whitman’s work visited him personally.

When the American Civil War started he published his poem “Beat! Beat! Drums!” which he wrote as a patriotic call for the North. Adding to his popularity was the poem “O Captain! My Captain!”. This poem was written in a very unconventional way which was based on the death of Abraham Lincoln. This poem was Walt’s only poem which appeared in anthologies during his lifetime.

Whitman suffered paralytic stroke in the early 1873. His health went from bad to worse.  In the year 1891 he released the last edition of Leaves of Grass which was nicked named as “Death Bed” edition. Finally Walt Whitman died on March 26, 1892.His body was kept for public viewing and in three hours one thousand people had already paid their last respect. His body was buried in Harleigh Cemetery four days after his last breath.

Submitted by: Precious Pheirim

Total Download : 347 Leaves of Grass Download now

Total Download : 11 Drum Taps Download now

Total Download : 8 The Patriotic Poems of Walt Whitman Download now

Total Download : 9 The Wound Dresser A Series of Letters Written from the Hospitals in Washington during the War of the Rebellion Download now

Total Download : 9 The Letters of Anne Gilchrist and Walt Whitman Download now

Total Download : 8 Gesänge und Inschriften Download now