Leaves of Grass
Whitman's central and defining work, first published in 1855 and revised throughout his career.
Author guide
Walt Whitman Books in Order
Walt Whitman (1819–1892) was an American poet, essayist, journalist, and fiction writer. Best known for Leaves of Grass, he developed an expansive democratic poetic voice and published influential poetry, prose, Civil War writings, criticism, and autobiography.
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Catalog record updated .
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Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (1)
Nonfiction (2)
- Memoranda During the War
war-memoir · 1876
- Specimen Days & Collect
memoir-and-prose-collection · 1882
Essays and speeches (4)
- The Eighteenth Presidency!
political-pamphlet · 1856
- Democratic Vistas
essay · 1871
- After All, Not to Create Only
poetry-pamphlet · 1871
- As a Strong Bird on Pinions Free, and Other Poems
poetry-pamphlet · 1872
Poetry (7)
- Leaves of Grass
poetry-collection · 1855
Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. First published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting Leaves of Grass, revising it multiple times until his death. There have been…
- Drum-Taps
poetry-collection · 1865
- Sequel to Drum-Taps
poetry-collection · 1865
- Passage to India
poetry-collection · 1871
- Two Rivulets
prose-and-poetry-collection · 1876
- November Boughs
prose-and-poetry-collection · 1888
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the…
- Good-Bye My Fancy
prose-and-poetry-collection · 1891
Other (1)
- Complete Prose Works
prose-collection · 1892
Frequently asked questions about Walt Whitman
When and where was Walt Whitman born, and when did he die?
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island, New York. He died on March 26, 1892, in Camden, New Jersey.
Source: nps.gov (opens in a new tab)
What did Walt Whitman do during the Civil War?
In Washington, D.C., Whitman worked as a government clerk and volunteered in military hospitals, visiting wounded soldiers, dressing wounds, and offering comfort.
Sources: nps.gov (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Walt Whitman's poetry?
His writing was shaped by American travel and his interest in democracy, nature, city life, religion, music, and public speech. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a particularly important influence, while Biblical poetry helped shape Whitman's long, irregular lines.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)neh.gov (opens in a new tab)loc.gov (opens in a new tab)
Was Walt Whitman gay?
Whitman wrote about erotic love between men and was attracted to men, but applying a modern label such as "gay" to a nineteenth-century person is historically complicated. Biographical sources therefore describe the evidence and ongoing scholarly debate rather than treating a present-day identity category as a simple fact.
Sources: nps.gov (opens in a new tab)guides.loc.gov (opens in a new tab)whitmanarchive.org (opens in a new tab)
Why is Walt Whitman important to American literature?
Whitman helped establish a distinctly American poetic voice through free verse, expansive lines, and poems centered on democracy, the body, and ordinary people. His work influenced later poets and remains central to the history of American poetry.
Sources: loc.gov (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)