Specimen days & Collect

Specimen Days & Collect is Whitman's prose book of 1882, a mixture of memoir, diary and essay. It recalls his childhood on Long Island, his service among wounded soldiers in the Civil War, and his recovery after illness, when he spent long days in the countryside of New Jersey. Short notes on birds, trees, weather and streams sit beside reflections on writers, politics and America. The 'Collect' section gathers other essays and prefaces. It is a relaxed, informal self-portrait.