The Poetry of Walt Whitman: An A+ Audio Study Guide

Son of a free-thinking radical who had known Tom Paine, Walt Whitman reflects in both his life and his poetry all the turbulence of the mi-nineteen century. Perhaps the first gerat and thoroughly American poet, the self-educated printer, editor, itinerant teacher and Civial War nurse, an ardent admirer of Emerson, embraced transcendentalism and celebrated the democratic equality of all individuals.

Performed by various artists including, Joan Allen, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jill eikenberry, Bill Pullman, Roger Rees, Burt Reynolds, D. B. Sweeney, Blair Underwood, William Windom and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

When Walt Whitman blasted onto the literary scene in the mid-19th century, he offered a fresh dose of potent prose that was original in form and structure, and above all, utterly American. The self-educated printer, journalist, editor, and publisher wrote about common things and ordinary people--bus drivers and ferrymen, river crossings and taverns--subjects that defined the American experience. In this recording, Burt Reynolds--who is fast becoming a fixture on the audiobook narrator scene--joins Bill Pullman, D.B. Sweeney, Joan Allen, and others to celebrate this first great all-American poet. Poems include "One's Self I Sing," selections from "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" and "I Sing the Body Electric," and a generous sampling from "Song of Myself." Listen to Reynolds read Whitman's "Oh Captain! My Captain!." For more information, visit our audio help page. (Running time: 1.5 hours, 1 cassettes) --Rob McDonald