The first issue of whitman s specimen days and collect was published by the philadelphia firm of rees welsh and company in 1882. Walter walt whitman 1819 1892 was an american poet, essayist and journalist. Complete prose works, by walt whitman project gutenberg. Specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitmans uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his. For this reason it is easier to read than most of whitman s prose. May 31, 1819 march 26, 1892 was an american poet, essayist, and journalist. May 31, 2016 specimen days by walt whitman audiobook part 12. Specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitmans uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his time, principally the era of. Literature the red badge of courage, excerps from specimen days, four civil war stories by crane, stephen. Whitman begins by describing the uncomfortable realization on the part of northerners that the.
Specimen days by walt whitman audiobook part 22 youtube. It was published near a time whitman s leaves of grass was reissued, leaves being his masterwork poem which celebrated mankind and nature, and addressed the eternal cycle of life. Specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitmans uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his time, principally the era of the civil war and its aftermath. Whitman isnt a major character in specimen days, as woolf was in the earlier novel, but cunningham clearly means him to be present in every word, every line of the book, in the sense the poet. He kept a record his observations in specimen days. Henry holmes to walt whitman, 4 april 1889 correspondence. Each of the three stories depicts three central, semiconsistent charactertypes. This week, slate presents an excerpt from leslie jamisons introduction to walt whitman s specimen days and collect, published by melville house in november 2014. Degravelles 47 introduction in specimen days 2005, michael cunningham offers a recursive reading of walt whitman s leaves of grass1, responding to and magnifying an initial sense of recursiveness in whitman s work. He gives names and dates to these short pieces, lending them validity to actually being of whitman s own experience. Whitman s horror at the death of democracys first great martyr chief was matched by his revulsion from the barbarities of war.
Walt whitman 18191892, perhaps the most influential poet in american history, was born on long island but raised in brooklyn, new york. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. A happy hours command down in the woods, july 2d, 1882. Specimen days is a novel by american author michael cunninghan published in 2005. Specimen days, new themes entered upon intensely artful, intensely vernacularsome draughts of the tipsymaking water emerson talks about in the essay by which young whitman was called the poet. The president very quietly rode down to the capitol in his own carriage, by himself, on a sharp trot, about noon, either because he wishd to be on hand to sign bills, or to get rid of marching in line with the absurd procession, the muslin temple of liberty and pasteboard monitor. After reading this book, i know that if i could go back in time and spend the day with one historical figure it would be walt whitman and we would spend the day hiking for wildflowers.
Specimen days by walt whitman, first edition abebooks. Cunninghams interpretation of whitman in specimen days, on the other hand, i will argue is an example of a chaotic, nonlinear interpretive practice. Walt whitman, specimen days for four years, from 1862 to 1865, walt whitman visited thousands of wounded civil war soldiers in hospitals. Specimen days a happy hours command answer to an insisting friend genealogyvan velsor and whitman the old whitman and van velsor cemeteries the maternal homestead two old family interiors paumanok, and my life on it as child and young man my first readinglafayette. Its part autobiography and part an observation of nature and part political opinion.
Whitman is among the most influential poets in the american canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in its time, particularly. The lights, perfumes, melodiesthe blue birds, grass birds and robins, in. Specimen days is essentially the great american poet walt whitmans scrap book. The book defies any notion of genre, and is a hodgepodge of accounts about whitman s youth, his experiences in the american civil war, and his musings on nature and his everyday life in camden, new. Many of the autobiographical notes, sketches, and essays that focus on the poets life during and beyond the civil war had been previously published in periodicals or in memoranda during the war 18751876. For the most part, specimen days lacks the somewhat rambling style of democratic vistas. Maymonthmonth of swarming, singing, mating birdsthe bumblebee monthmonth of the flowering lilacand then my own birthmonth. Oct 10, 2015 specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitmans uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his time, principally the era of the civil war and its aftermath.
Sepia photograph of whitman and butterfly, printed on recto inserted after p. Richard maurice bucke to walt whitman, 10 december 1888. Incongruous and full of skips and jumps as is that huddle of diaryjottings, warmemoranda of 186265, naturenotes of 187781, with western and canadian observations afterwards, all bundled up and tied by a big string, the resolution and indeed mandate comes to me this. Specimen days by walt whitman audiobook part 12 youtube. Nov 25, 2014 specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitmans uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his time, principally the era of the civil war and its aftermath. The first story, in the machine, takes place in new york city in the midtolate1800s. Walt whitman 1819 1892 specimen days is essentially the great american poet walt whitman s scrap book. Walt whitmans specimen days by harriet staff poetry foundation.
Specimen days is a series of diary entries about whitmans life, from his boyhood days at rockaway beach, to his nursing days in washington d. It is a work of surpassing power and beauty by one of the most original and daring writers at work today. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. Published in 1882, whitman s uniquely revealing impressions of. Walt whitman whitman covers his life and accomplisments in diarylike entries, starting with his childhood in long island, to his time as a new york writer, to his volunteer work as a washington field nurse. Specimen days by michael cunningham is a novel consisting of three distinct stories set in new york city across multiple eras. Complete prose works specimen days and collect, november boughs and goodbye my fancy language. Buy specimen days by whitman, walt from amazons fiction books store. Specimen days is a genrebending, haunting, and transformative ode to life in our greatest city, a work of surpassing power and beauty by one of the most original and daring writers at work today. Whitman is considered to be one of the united states greatest poets.
This week, slate presents an excerpt from leslie jamisons introduction to walt whitmans specimen days and collect, published by melville. Specimen days and collect by walt whitman here is a quick description and cover image of book specimen days and collect written by walt whitman which was published in 1882. Walter walt whitman 1819 1892 was an american poet, essayist and. Life and adventures of jack engle by walt whitman, read by jon hamm. He finished the final revision of leaves of grass, assembled the memorandum of war from journal entries and notes, and wrote specimen days, as well as some lesserknown works.
Walt whitman specimen days lyrics and tracklist genius. The result is a novel in three separate iterations that. It documents most of his lifes adventures, espeically his experience serving as a nurse during the civil war and travelling around america. Specimen days is essentially the great american poet walt whitman s scrap book. Specimen days is a genrebending, haunting, and transformative ode to life in our greatest city and a meditation on the direction and meaning of americas destiny.
Walt whitman on beethoven and music as the profoundest. Specimen days the inauguration academy of american poets. Complete prose works specimen days and collect, november boughs and goodbye my fancy author. Specimen days in america camelot series the camelot series, ed. The title comes from walt whitman, and whitmans voice is heard throughout the three.
Composed in 1881 largely out of notes, sketches, and essays written at various stages of the poets life from the civil. Born near long island, he lived in new york for a time, and many of his poems celebrate the city and its inhabitants. Walter walt whitman may 31, 1819 march 26, 1892 was an american poet, essayist, and journalist. Bound in original mustard yellow cloth with lettering in gilt on upper cover and spine. Incongruous and full of skips and jumps as is that huddle of diaryjottings, warmemoranda of 186265, naturenotes of 187781, with western and canadian.
Jun 26, 2005 whitman isnt a major character in specimen days, as woolf was in the earlier novel, but cunningham clearly means him to be present in every word, every line of the book, in the sense the poet. Specimen days is a 2005 novel by american writer michael cunningham. Specimen days presents the formation of a self through participation in communal and even ecological process. Whitman s specimen days works are different from his collection of poems from drumtaps, simply because they are short prose accounts of incidents whitman seemed to have experienced firsthand while he was a nurse. Read texts from specimen days and join the genius community of scholars to learn the meaning behind the words. Walt whitmans specimen days smithsonian american art museum. The transcendent record of whitmans communion with the natural world survives in specimen days public library a sublime collection of prose fragments and diary entries, restoring the word specimen to its latin origin in specere.
The inauguration, march 4, 1865, specimen days and collect 1882. But whitmans waters do not flow in the clear stream of a style that refuses to call attention to itselfthe bizarre ideal of. Mar 22, 2020 whitmans horror at the death of democracys first great martyr chief was matched by his revulsion from the barbarities of war. Specimen days by michael cunningham new york magazine book.
A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. The years which whitman spent in washington during the war constitute the best part of specimen days. May 31, 2016 song of myself by walt whitman 1892 version audiobook. Presiding over each episode of this interrelated whole is the prophetic figure of the poet walt whitman. Praise for walt whitman and specimen days and collect he is a great poet, our first, and it is unlikely indeed that his contribution to what it literally means to be an american poet will ever be equaled. Walt whitmans poetry is also a common thread in each of the three stories, and the title is from whitmans own prose works. Its really a collection of essays and vignettes instead of one coherent narrative. Aug 06, 2005 specimen days by michael cunningham 308pp, fourth estate. Prose works walt whitman the good gray poet also contributed to the greatest prose of american letters with his war diaries, prefaces and democratic vistas in this complete prose works, the companion volume to s leaves of grass. It is primarily based on the poems of walt whitman, and the title is based off one of whitman s works. Excerpted from specimen days and collect, by walt whitman, with an introduction by leslie jamison, published in november 2014 by melville house. Walt whitmans specimen days this week, slate presents an excerpt from leslie jamisons introduction to walt whitmans specimen days and collect, published by melville house in november 2014. Serving at various times as a printers devil, journeyman compositor, itinerant schoolteacher, newspaper editor, and unofficial nurse to northern and southern soldiers during the civil war, he acquired a broad view of american life, central to his. For this reason it is easier to read than most of whitmans prose.
Walt whitman inspires specimen days pulitzer prizewinning author michael cunningham discusses his new book, the specimen days, which comes out today. The recursive walt whitman whitmans leaves of grass and the story of its writing and publication provide a. Specimen days, by walt whitman, born in west hills, long island, may 31, 1819, died in camden, new jersey, march 26, 1892 whitman walt published by david r. Garland publishing, 1998, reproduced by permission. Robert creeley i like or love whitman unreservedly. Will you have the kindness to send me these works, informing me at the same time of their cost, the amount of which i will not delay in sending. Specimen days a happy hours command answer to an insisting friend genealogyvan velsor and whitman the old whitman and van velsor cemeteries.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Simons bereaved fiancee, of her impending fate, are hampered by an inexplicable compulsion to spout walt whitmans verse. Although many great writers have contemplated the power of music, few have articulated it more perfectly or more sensuously than walt whitman may 31, 1819march 26, 1892 does in specimen days public library the sublime collection of prose fragments and journal entries, which gave us whitman on the wisdom of trees and which the poet. Specimen days and collect, first published in 1882, is a choice collection of whitman s uniquely revealing impressions of the people, places, and events of his time, principally the era of the civil war and its aftermath. Walt whitman passage to india part one singing my days. Whitman recoiled from what he called the sickliness of verbal melody, and the prose of specimen days is among the most casual and colloquial in englishbut the style still calls and holds ones attention. Though it is one of its authors lesserknown works, specimen days is perhaps the closest thing to an autobiography that walt whitman ever wrote. Walt whitman quotes quotes of walt whitman poem hunter. Apr 05, 20 walt whitman s specimen days howard on april 5, 20 with the civil war and american art on view at the museum through april 28, i thought it was a good time to bring walt whitman into the conversation. Specimen days, michael cunninghams first novel since his pulitzer prizewinning the hours 1998, presents a bleak portrait of life in the past, present, and future.
Jun 02, 2005 in his new booka trio of linked novellas titled specimen dayscunningham quotes walt whitman as amply as he once quoted woolf. As i jot this paragraph, i am out just after sunrise, and down towards the creek. He characterized the dead as the million dead, and celebrated them in his poems. Nov 17, 2017 although many great writers have contemplated the power of music, few have articulated it more perfectly or more sensuously than walt whitman may 31, 1819march 26, 1892 does in specimen days public library the sublime collection of prose fragments and journal entries, which gave us whitman on the wisdom of trees and which the poet. Specimen days by walt whitman audiobook part 12 duration. After lucas older brother simon is crushed to death by a machine in a factory, lucas takes.
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