Here for the first time in a convenient pocket edition are all of Walt Whitman's basic prose writings on democracy, including his memorable reflections on the roots of the American divide, the fearsome legacy of the Civil War, and the shining example of Abraham Lincoln.
We rarely find a writer who has been as strong in his condemnation of America's sins and spiritual shortcomings, or who clings to his belief in democratic ideals as Whitman. His voice continues to speak to us today with renewed urgency.
The following have been collected:“The 18th Presidency!”, written during the 1856 presidential campaign, in which Whitman expresses outrage at the direct expectations of American democracy; 'Prospects of Democracy' (1871), in which he embodies his role as a poet prophet of a better America; the scathing essay 'The Origins of the Attempt to Secession' and shorter excerpts on democracy from the classic book 'Model Days' (1882).In his introduction, renowned political observer David Bromwich examines Whitman's political prose writings and highlights why they are so important today.
