• This is a vintage paperback edition of The Portable Walt Whitman, edited by Mark Van Doren and published by Viking Adult.
  • The cover features a black-and-white portrait of Walt Whitman and highlights contents including "Leaves of Grass" and "Specimen Days".
  • According to a seller listing, this specific edition was published around October 24, 1974.
  • The Portable Walt Whitman, edited by Mark Van Doren and published as part of the Viking Portable Library, is a comprehensive anthology collecting the essential poetry and prose of the seminal American author. 
    Included Works
    • Leaves of Grass: The cornerstone of Whitman's literary legacy, presented here in its complete form. It contains his celebrated free-verse poems—such as "Song of Myself"—celebrating democracy, nature, and the human spirit. 
    • Specimen Days: A collection of autobiographical prose containing his personal journal entries. It features vivid first-hand accounts of his time as a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War, alongside naturalistic observations of the American landscape. 
    • Democratic Vistas: A profound political essay analyzing the future and challenges of American democracy. It critiques post-Civil War materialism while emphasizing the vital role of art and literature in building a unified national identity. 
    Volume Features
    The anthology includes a biographical and critical introduction written by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and scholar Mark Van Doren. Additionally, it features a comprehensive chronological outline of Whitman's life and a curated bibliography put together by prominent Whitman scholar Gay Wilson Alle