Reviews

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

thegreekmoon's review against another edition

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4.0

i sing the body electric

blackcatbinx29's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I understand why everyone in the 1800s want to have sex with him because if I was alive in the 1800s and I read this I’d want to sleep with him too because I’ve read this in 2024 and I would sleep with him. 10 points to the narrator for doing the bird voice for the bird poems. 

tatianasb's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.75

daizie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

Truly transformative to read in its entirety for the first time. I enjoyed Whitman's version of Transcendentalism (if one could even call it that) a lot more than his predecessors - it felt more realistic and honest. 

andotherworlds's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 // first foray into whitman and slightly disappointed?! while i enjoyed certain lines and wording at times, as a whole, i didn’t gel that well with his style. it felt a tad drawn out and excessive at times.

whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition

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4.0

Walt Whitman wrote beautiful, earthy, amazing poetry. Read it!

imayasen's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

sarahshoemake's review against another edition

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5.0

This is what I want to read on my deathbed.

seashelfs's review against another edition

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3.0

(3)

"Have you ever loved the body of a woman?
Have you ever loved the body of a man?
Do you not see that these are exactly the same to all in all nations and times all over the earth?"


I’m not the biggest fan of poetry so I decided to challenge myself by reading one. I was halfway through this book when I realized I have no idea what I have just read. So I went back from the start; annotating it, taking notes, trying to understand its meaning, and taking my sweet time. It was a struggle but I greatly enjoyed the struggle. It reminds me of my love of learning. I just don’t like studying or taking tests.
It is a celebration of humanity. Of nature. Of everything really. You can really tell the narrator’s love for the world and everything in it. I loved the overarching message of equality in the poems. Underneath it all, we are all the same. No matter who you are or what your job is, you matter. You are no more or less, we are all the same.

scruffie's review against another edition

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DNF. I tried really hard but, god, I just can't stand Whitman's "(white) america is amazing" attitude. I can see how some aspects of his views can be considered progressive for his time, but I can't deal with the blatant parriotism or Whitman's overt confidence.

From the poems I read I liked only one (when I heard the learn'd astronomer.) but I'm not willing to read over 450 more pages looking for the next good 8 lines.