Thursday, June 16, 2011
Song of Myself
I remember watching the American Experience documentary of Walt Whitman years ago. I was heavy into Whitman at the time. It was part of my "Beat" experience. The documentary is no longer available at PBS, but someone was nice enough to upload it to Youtube.
David Reynolds has written a recent biography, Walt Whitman's America, which has been mentioned as a possible reading group selection.
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I have been on the NY Public Library website tonight, and David Reynold's book (WW America) is available. I'd be interested if others want to discuss it.
ReplyDeleteI'd be game, but need time to get the book. I'm sure trippler will be up for it too.
ReplyDeleteI started reading the Frances Perkins book. So far, pretty standard biography. See how it goes.
Thom Hartmann mentioned the Frances Perkins book a few times on his radio show week before last. He read it whenever it first came out. Recommended it highly.
ReplyDeleteToo much bio and not enough insight into her early relationships, which shaped her thinking. This was a woman who came in contact with some major figures in the early 20th century and Kirstin Downey brushes over them in a sentence or two, or at most a paragraph. I can see why trippler became frustrated. She knew Upton Sinclair and apparently gained Sinclair Lewis' affection, brushed shoulders with John Reed and Eugene Debs, but not much Downey's more lengthy description of the Hull House is rather banal. But, it reads well, and may get better in the pages to come.
ReplyDeleteReynolds' book is very good.
ReplyDeleteI went to the library and borrowed a copy of Reynolds' Whitman bio. It appears to be a good read though it could use a few more pictures and slightly larger print. Perhaps some here may consider reading it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, was not aware (or likely have forgotten) Reynolds wrote 2 books on Philadelphia reformist George Lippard. Will look for those books in the future and expect those are good reads as well.
Trippler, I'd love to join you but I can only read books from 2011. This is my last year as a judge and, with any luck at all, I'll also have my own book of history wrapped up, so I can join you all again in reading more widely. I do have his newest book ordered, but haven't received it yet.
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