jhowarddc's review against another edition
5.0
A lively, well-researched account of Walt Whitman's life and experiences in Washington, D.C. during and after the Civil War, this book is also a portrait of the capitol city at a crucial juncture in its and the nation's history. As a DC resident, I feel like I know my city better now having read this book. Peck's included some great photos/illustrations from the Library of Congress collections and elsewhere.
abookishaffair's review
4.0
"Walt Whitman in Washington, D.C." is a nonfiction history of all of the time that the poet Walt Whitman spent in Washington, D.C. I was interested in reading this book because of the larger-than-life personality of Whitman and also the local connection. Living in this area, I love reading some of the lesser known stories of things that have happened in this area. This is a well put together history that will be enjoyed by my fellow history lovers.
I didn't realize how much time Walt Whitman had spent in the city. Many of his years spent here were spent caring for soldiers during the Civil War. He was truly passionate about the need to take care of soldiers as they were fighting the war. The Civil War greatly affected Washington, D.C. as it was the site for field hospitals and many activities to cater to soldiers. I really thought the author did a good job of adding a lot of historical detail in order to pull readers in.
Not much has been written about Whitman and Washington, D.C. so this book was very eye-opening to me. It's obvious how much research the author must've done in order to write this book. I would really like to read more by this author in the future! Overall, this was a great look at a sliver of history.
I didn't realize how much time Walt Whitman had spent in the city. Many of his years spent here were spent caring for soldiers during the Civil War. He was truly passionate about the need to take care of soldiers as they were fighting the war. The Civil War greatly affected Washington, D.C. as it was the site for field hospitals and many activities to cater to soldiers. I really thought the author did a good job of adding a lot of historical detail in order to pull readers in.
Not much has been written about Whitman and Washington, D.C. so this book was very eye-opening to me. It's obvious how much research the author must've done in order to write this book. I would really like to read more by this author in the future! Overall, this was a great look at a sliver of history.
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