The Horn Book Guide

BIOGRAPHIES

Meltzer, Milton

Walt Whitman: A Biography

160 pp. | Lerner/Twenty-first Century | March, 2002 | Library ISBN 0-7613-2272-8 $$31.40

(2) YA Meltzer's presentation of Whitman's life is interpretive rather than being a portrait of the man in the many stages of his life. By scrupulously analyzing the poet's work in relation to his various experiences, Meltzer offers unusual insight not only into the man but also into his times. Analysis of the poetry combined with lengthy excerpts provide a literary dimension. Photos and reproductions illustrate the book, and a chronology is appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2002