Walt Whitman: A Gay Life - Hardcover

Schmidgall, Gary

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525943730 ISBN 13: 9780525943730

Publisher: Dutton Adult, 1997

Synopsis

A revealing biography of the renowned American poet explores the relationships Whitman had with his male friends, most notably his long-time lover Peter Doyle, and uses such insight as a basis for literary criticism of his work. 10,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

Walt Whitman's place in U.S. letters is unchallenged: he is the poet of America, democracy, and individual freedom. Yet Whitman and his work have been misrepresented by scholars and critics during the 20th century, and it is only recently that they have begun admitting the poet's homosexuality and examining its effect on his work. Gary Schmidgall's bold and well-researched Walt Whitman: A Gay Life presents abundant and irrefutable evidence of the poet's vibrant sexuality and details Whitman's sexual and romantic affairs. More important, however, he explains how Whitman's attraction to men was at the root of his poetic vision: in Whitman's work the "body electric" is more than a metaphor. Walt Whitman: A Gay Life is a vital addition to Whitman studies and critical work on American literature.

About the Author:

Gary Schmidgall is the author of The Stranger Wilde: Interpreting Oscar, which The Boston Globe called ?An astute study?genuinely original," and The San Francisco Chronicle noted "Breathes new life into the memory of Wilde.? He lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Adult
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0525943730
• ISBN 13: 9780525943730
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 464