The Poetical Works of Oliver Wendell Holmes — Volume 09

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.4

Word count: 71K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Poetical Works of Oliver Wendell Holmes — Volume 09 by Oliver Wendell HolmesAuthor: Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 30, 2004

Editor's review

This is Volume 09 of Holmes's complete poetical works, likewise an English public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg, classified under American and Canadian literature. As a later volume of the complete works, its reading value lies more in completeness: for readers studying Holmes's poetry systematically, moving volume by volume reveals how his range of subjects, language style and intellectual concerns persist and change across stages. This edition has no modern editorial introduction and no translation, so it is more a primary source than an introductory reader. It suits use when one already has some framework of American literary history, placing individual works back in the nineteenth-century cultural context. It may be treated as a desk reference to be dipped into by theme or title rather than read straight through; for courses or papers, compare it with Holmes's essays and biographical materials to avoid over-interpreting from the poems alone.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read other Holmes volumes and want to complete the set
Graduate students in American literature needing source texts for close reading
Poetry readers with strong English willing to research background themselves
Libraries or reference rooms adding public-domain English poetry to their holdings

Not a good fit for

General readers without English reading habits; there is no translation or notes
Beginners seeking a quick overview of Holmes's life; the book has no biographical introduction
Readers who prefer novels or prose narrative; the poetry is concentrated and dense

Reading tips

Browse the table of contents first, grouping by theme or title and starting with pieces that can be compared with Volume 08.
Look up historical figures or event allusions as you go, so lines are not read out of context.
Read only a few pieces at a time, leaving room to savor rhythm and diction; do not rush to finish.
For writing or papers, record edition information and page numbers for later citation checks.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Do I need to read Volume 08 before Volume 09?

The materials do not state any continuous plot or required reading order between the two volumes; each is a volume of the complete poetical works. Readers may check the contents and choose pieces by interest, or proceed in volume order for systematic study.

Is this a complete poetry collection or a selection?

The title indicates it is one volume of Holmes's complete poetical works, not a standalone selection. The materials do not list specific contents; check the actual table of contents to understand the volume's scope before planning your reading.

Without notes, how can I understand the allusions in the poems?

Use English dictionaries, literary histories and encyclopedias to check names, events and places. The public issues and social context of Holmes's time are often key to understanding his poems, so read alongside nineteenth-century American history.

Can public-domain electronic texts be cited?

Public-domain texts are generally usable for study and research citation, but electronic editions vary in formatting and proofreading quality. For formal citation, check multiple editions and note the source and access date of the electronic text to ensure accuracy.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894 Author

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809–1894) was an American writer whose 34 works are included in this collection. His representative works include The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table, The Professor at the Breakfast-Table, and The Poet at the Breakfast-Table, as well as The One Hoss Shay and several collections of poetry. These works show him at home in both prose and verse: he is known for informal essays in the manner of breakfast-table talk, witty and observant, blending discussion with humor; his poems are carefully crafted and lively in rhythm, often carrying domestic humor and reflective notes. He also wrote on Ralph Waldo Emerson, showing his attention to the thinkers of his day. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not developed here; readers may sense his style and influence through the works mentioned above.