Used price: $1.75
Collectible price: $17.00
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Whitman published the first edition of "Leaves" in 1855, and continued to revise and expand the book until it had grown into the monumental final version. While the "deathbed" edition is an essential text, I'd like to put in a plug for the much smaller 1855 edition, which has been reprinted with an introduction by Malcolm Cowley. The "deathbed" edition may be too large and intimidating a literary tapestry for Whitman "virgins"; the reprinted 1855 edition may thus be a good way to begin exploring the bounteous poetic talent and vision of this giant.
The Cowley-introduced edition also includes Whitman's original prose introduction, which is itself a remarkable piece of literature. While the 1855 "Leaves" is missing vast sections of the deathbed version, it is still a stunning work of art that succeeds as a self-sufficient piece of literature and philosophy. In this "embryonic" version of the soon-to-evolve masterpiece, we already discover Whitman's pungent eroticism, his embrace of paradox, and his playful theological exploration. His language is sensuous, outrageous, tender, and amazing, and is full of compassion for all living beings.
Whitman is more than just a great poet; his work is a sort of prophecy for both the secular and multifaith worlds. So read "Leaves" in either the embryonic version or the ultimate version, and embark on an unforgettable poetic journey.
Collectible price: $30.00
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