If there was a single book I could have on a deserted island it would be "Leaves of Grass". It is beautiful, inspired writing. It's been analyzed by many so I'll spare you any grand statements or a lot of detail, but for a taste of the themes Whitman puts across:

- All men are brothers. The book celebrates the common man, and embraces the man that society has cast out or looked down upon.

- Delight and oneness with nature. Delight in the small things in nature.

- Spirituality achieved not by subjugating the senses or pleasures but by embracing them, and living life to the fullest.

- The belief in the innate power, spirituality, and goodness of man.

All of this is done in a very natural, unpretentious way ... I believe Whitman was truly inspired when he initially wrote this book, and was not regurgitating someone else's philosophy or metaphysics.

There are so many wonderful passages and quotes, maybe someday I'll include some here but for now I'll just say I highly, highly recommend this book.

Read it outside, under a tree. ( )

I hated "Leaves of Grass" when I was an English major in college. Over the many intervening years I have grown to appreciate Whitman's work more and more. I know it was just me, but I had to grow up to realize the genius of his words. ( )

This book is a beautiful meditation on life and death. I try to read bits of it regularly to keep me focused on the beauty of nature and the nature of all things...birth-life-death-birth, etc... ( )

rare books 1921

My favorite Whitman piece is "To You, Whoever You Are". This poem is not included in the 1855 edition of Leaves Of Grass.

This is the only reason I am not giving it 5 stars. And it's no fault of Walt's. Not even my own, I just felt I needed to own this edition. Surely I will procure the deathbed edition in due time and while some more hours away in the sunshine reading his genius.

I love Walt Whitman, period. ( )