Winner of the National Book Award

Whitman emerges from this biography alive and kickinghugely human, enormously attractive.Newsweek

A moving, penetrating, sharply focused portrait of Americas greatest poethis genius, his passions, his androgynous sensibilityan exuberant life entwined with the turbulent history of mid-nineteenth century America.

In vivid detail, Justin Kaplan, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, examines the mysterious selves of this enigmatic man whose bold voice of joy and sexual liberation embraced a growing nation. . . and exposes the quintessential Whitman, that perfect poet whose astonishing verse made words sing, dance, kiss, copulate for an entire world to hear.