Walt Whitman fully absorbed 19th-century cultural life, both reflecting and transfiguring it through his remarkable poetry and prose. Regarded as an important philosopher of democracy and advanced views on sexuality, Whitman's work is more important today than ever. Whitman is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest American poets and a major figure in world literature.

Makes available research from international experts

This Encyclopedia gathers, for the first time, information not easily found elsewhere without extensive research. The material has been distilled from a variety of sources by over 200 internationally recognized contributors -- including such leading Whitman scholars as James E. Miller, Jr., Roger Asselineau, Betsy Erkkila, and Joel Myerson. Writing under the guidance of a distinguished 11-member advisory board, they provide unprecedented access to important information about Whitman.

A user-friendly guide

Useful for students, researchers, librarians, teachers, and Whitman devotees, this volume features extensive cross-references, numerous photographs of the poet, a chronology, a special appendix section tracing the poet's genealogy, and a thorough index. Each entry includes a bibliography for further study.