Product Description

A landmark of 20th-century American literature: a series of over 200 compelling free-verse monologues in which former citizens of a mythical Midwestern town speak touchingly from the grave of the thwarted hopes and dreams of their lives. Reprinted from the authoritative 1915 edition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #402371 in Books
• Published on: 1992-10-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From School Library Journal
YA-- A richly annotated edition resuscitates a fading American classic. Because Hallivas's pithy introduction adds both perspective and gossipy detail, YAs will enjoy learning about the individual struggles of the 244 characters who speak from the cemetery on "the hill." Secondary teachers will find this a useful tool for preparing character sketches, thanks to the lively, specific annotations naming names: who rejected whom; who challenged whom, both physically and politically--and it is all expertly researched. The microcosm of Spoon River comes alive with its central conflicts of agrarian traditionist v. temperance and abolitionist activism. From the grave, the hard-drinking, roughly hewn frontiersmen challenge the do-good social reformers, reenacting the struggle the 19th-century midwestern push kindled: would any government law prohibiting drinking or slavery impress these strong individual-rights townspeople? They offer their own answers as Masters intended, but they offer the responses against a tapestry of detail the editor provides. Hallivas's cogent essay traces the philosophical influences that marked Masters's works: Spinoza, Goethe, and especially Whitman. The inclusion of several photographs of the characters who speak adds important visual detail.
- Margaret Nolan, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Spoon River Anthology: Ace Shaw
Spoon River Anthology: Butch Weldy
Spoon River Anthology: Indignation Jones
Spoon River Anthology: A. D. Blood
Spoon River Anthology: Aaron Hatfield
Spoon River Anthology: Abel Melveny
Spoon River Anthology: Adam Weirauch
Spoon River Anthology: Albert Schirding
Spoon River Anthology: Alexander Throckmorton
Spoon River Anthology: Alfred Moir
Spoon River Anthology: Alonzo Churchill
Spoon River Anthology: Amanda Barker
Spoon River Anthology: Amelia Garrick
Spoon River Anthology: Ami Green
Spoon River Anthology: Amos Sibley
Spoon River Anthology: Andy, The Night-watch
Spoon River Anthology: Aner Clute
Spoon River Anthology: Anne Rutledge
Spoon River Anthology: Anthony Findlay
Spoon River Anthology: Archibald Higbie
Spoon River Anthology: Arlo Will
Spoon River Anthology: Barney Hainsfeather
Spoon River Anthology: Barry Holden
Spoon River Anthology: Batterton Dobyns
Spoon River Anthology: Benjamin Fraser
Spoon River Anthology: Benjamin Pantier
Spoon River Anthology: Bert Kessler
Spoon River Anthology: Blind Jack
Spoon River Anthology: C. C. Culbertson
Spoon River Anthology: Calvin Campbell
Spoon River Anthology: Captain Orlando Killion
Spoon River Anthology: Carl Hamblin
Spoon River Anthology: Caroline Branson
Spoon River Anthology: Cassius Hueffer
Spoon River Anthology: Charles Webster
Spoon River Anthology: Charlie French
Spoon River Anthology: Chase Henry
Spoon River Anthology: Clarence Fawcett
Spoon River Anthology: Columbus Cheney
Spoon River Anthology: Conrad Sieber
Spoon River Anthology: Constance Hately
Spoon River Anthology: Cooney Potter
Spoon River Anthology: Daisy Fraser
Spoon River Anthology: Daniel M'cumber
Spoon River Anthology: Davis Matlock
Spoon River Anthology: Deacon Taylor
Spoon River Anthology: Dillard Sissman
Spoon River Anthology: Dippold The Optician
Spoon River Anthology: Doc Hill
Spoon River Anthology: Doctor Meyers
Spoon River Anthology: Dora Williams
Spoon River Anthology: Dorcas Gustine
Spoon River Anthology: Dow Britt
Spoon River Anthology: Dr. Siegfied Iseman
Spoon River Anthology: Edith Conant
Spoon River Anthology: Editor Whedon
Spoon River Anthology: Edmund Pollard
Spoon River Anthology: Elijah Browning
Spoon River Anthology: Elizabeth Childers
Spoon River Anthology: Elliott Hawkins
Spoon River Anthology: Elmer Barr
Spoon River Anthology: Elsa Wertman
Spoon River Anthology: Emily Sparks
Spoon River Anthology: English Thornton
Spoon River Anthology: Enoch Dunlap
Spoon River Anthology: Epilogue
Spoon River Anthology: Ernest Hyde
Spoon River Anthology: Eugene Carman
Spoon River Anthology: Eugenia Todd
Spoon River Anthology: Ezra Bartlett
Spoon River Anthology: Faith Matheny
Spoon River Anthology: Father Malloy
Spoon River Anthology: Felix Schmidt
Spoon River Anthology: Fiddler Jones
Spoon River Anthology: Fletcher Mcgee
Spoon River Anthology: Flossie Cabanis
Spoon River Anthology: Francis Turner
Spoon River Anthology: Frank Drummer
Spoon River Anthology: Franklin Jones
Spoon River Anthology: George Gray
Spoon River Anthology: George Trimble
Spoon River Anthology: Georgine Sand Miner
Spoon River Anthology: Godwin James
Spoon River Anthology: Granville Calhoun
Spoon River Anthology: Griffy The Cooper
Spoon River Anthology: Gustav Richter
Spoon River Anthology: Hamilton Greene
Spoon River Anthology: Hamlet Micure
Spoon River Anthology: Hannah Armstrong
Spoon River Anthology: Hare Drummer
Spoon River Anthology: Harlan Sewall
Spoon River Anthology: Harmon Whitney
Spoon River Anthology: Harold Arnett
Spoon River Anthology: Harry Carey Goodhue
Spoon River Anthology: Harry Wilmans
Spoon River Anthology: Henry C. Calhoun
Spoon River Anthology: Henry Layton
Spoon River Anthology: Henry Phipps
Spoon River Anthology: Henry Tripp
Spoon River Anthology: Herbert Marshall
Spoon River Anthology: Herman Altman
Spoon River Anthology: Hildrup Tubbs
Spoon River Anthology: Hiram Scates
Spoon River Anthology: Hod Putt
Spoon River Anthology: Homer Clapp
Spoon River Anthology: Hon. Henry Bennett
Spoon River Anthology: Hortense Robbins
Spoon River Anthology: Ida Chicken
Spoon River Anthology: Ida Frickey
Spoon River Anthology: Imanuel Ehrenhardt
Spoon River Anthology: Ippolit Konovaloff
Spoon River Anthology: Isa Nutter
Spoon River Anthology: Isaiah Beethoven
Spoon River Anthology: J. Milton Miles
Spoon River Anthology: Jack Mcguire
Spoon River Anthology: Jacob Godbey
Spoon River Anthology: Jacob Goodpasture
Spoon River Anthology: James Garber
Spoon River Anthology: Jeduthan Hawley
Spoon River Anthology: Jefferson Howard
Spoon River Anthology: Jennie M'grew
Spoon River Anthology: Jeremy Carlisle
Spoon River Anthology: Jim Brown
Spoon River Anthology: John Ballard
Spoon River Anthology: John Cabanis
Spoon River Anthology: John Hancock Otis
Spoon River Anthology: John Horace Burleson
Spoon River Anthology: John M. Church
Spoon River Anthology: John Wasson
Spoon River Anthology: Johnnie Sayre
Spoon River Anthology: Jonas Keene
Spoon River Anthology: Jonathan Houghton
Spoon River Anthology: Jonathan Swift Somers
Spoon River Anthology: Joseph Dixon
Spoon River Anthology: Josiah Tompkins
Spoon River Anthology: Judge Selah Lively
Spoon River Anthology: Judge Somers
Spoon River Anthology: Judson Stoddard
Spoon River Anthology: Julia Miller
Spoon River Anthology: Julian Scott
Spoon River Anthology: Justice Arnett
Spoon River Anthology: Kinsey Keene
Spoon River Anthology: Knowlt Hoheimer
Spoon River Anthology: Lambert Hutchins
Spoon River Anthology: Le Roy Goldman
Spoon River Anthology: Lillian Stewart
Spoon River Anthology: Lois Spears
Spoon River Anthology: Louise Smith
Spoon River Anthology: Lucinda Matlock
Spoon River Anthology: Lucius Atherton
Spoon River Anthology: Lydia Humphrey
Spoon River Anthology: Lydia Puckett
Spoon River Anthology: Lyman King
Spoon River Anthology: Mable Osborne
Spoon River Anthology: Magrady Graham
Spoon River Anthology: Many Soldiers
Spoon River Anthology: Margaret Fuller Black
Spoon River Anthology: Marie Bateson
Spoon River Anthology: Mary Mcneely
Spoon River Anthology: Mickey M'grew
Spoon River Anthology: Minerva Jones
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Benjamin Pantier
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Charles Bliss
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. George Reece
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Kessler
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Merritt
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Meyers
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Purkapile
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Sibley
Spoon River Anthology: Mrs. Williams
Spoon River Anthology: Nancy Knapp
Spoon River Anthology: Nellie Clark
Spoon River Anthology: Nicholas Bindle
Spoon River Anthology: Oaks Tutt
Spoon River Anthology: Ollie Mcgee
Spoon River Anthology: Oscar Hummel
Spoon River Anthology: Paul Mcneely
Spoon River Anthology: Pauline Barrett
Spoon River Anthology: Peleg Poague
Spoon River Anthology: Penniwit, The Artist
Spoon River Anthology: Percival Sharp
Spoon River Anthology: Percy Bysshe Shelley
Spoon River Anthology: Perry Zoll
Spoon River Anthology: Petit The Poet
Spoon River Anthology: Plymouth Rock Joe
Spoon River Anthology: Professor Newcomer
Spoon River Anthology: Ralph Rhodes
Spoon River Anthology: Rebecca Wasson
Spoon River Anthology: Reuben Pantier
Spoon River Anthology: Rev. Abner Peet
Spoon River Anthology: Rev. Lemuel Wiley
Spoon River Anthology: Richard Bone
Spoon River Anthology: Robert Davidson
Spoon River Anthology: Robert Fulton Tanner
Spoon River Anthology: Robert Southey Burke
Spoon River Anthology: Roger Heston
Spoon River Anthology: Roscoe Purkapile
Spoon River Anthology: Rosie Roberts
Spoon River Anthology: Roy Butler
Spoon River Anthology: Russell Kincaid
Spoon River Anthology: Russian Sonia
Spoon River Anthology: Rutherford Mcdowell
Spoon River Anthology: Sam Hookery
Spoon River Anthology: Samuel Gardner
Spoon River Anthology: Sarah Brown
Spoon River Anthology: Scholfield Hurley
Spoon River Anthology: Schroeder The Fisherman
Spoon River Anthology: Searcy Foote
Spoon River Anthology: Serepta Mason
Spoon River Anthology: Sersmith The Dentist
Spoon River Anthology: Seth Compton
Spoon River Anthology: Shack Dye
Spoon River Anthology: Silas Dement
Spoon River Anthology: State's Attorney Fallas
Spoon River Anthology: Tennessee Claflin Shope
Spoon River Anthology: The Circuit Judge
Spoon River Anthology: The Hill
Spoon River Anthology: The Spooniad
Spoon River Anthology: The Town Marshal
Spoon River Anthology: The Unknown
Spoon River Anthology: The Village Atheist
Spoon River Anthology: Theodore The Poet
Spoon River Anthology: Thomas Rhodes
Spoon River Anthology: Thomas Ross, Jr.
Spoon River Anthology: Thomas Trevelyan
Spoon River Anthology: Tom Beatty
Spoon River Anthology: Tom Merritt
Spoon River Anthology: Trainor, The Druggist
Spoon River Anthology: Voltaire Johnson
Spoon River Anthology: W. Lloyd Garrison Standard
Spoon River Anthology: Wallace Ferguson
Spoon River Anthology: Walter Simmons
Spoon River Anthology: Washington Mcneely
Spoon River Anthology: Webster Ford
Spoon River Anthology: Wendell P. Bloyd
Spoon River Anthology: Widow Mcfarlane
Spoon River Anthology: Willard Fluke
Spoon River Anthology: William And Emily
Spoon River Anthology: William Goode
Spoon River Anthology: William H. Herndon
Spoon River Anthology: William Jones
Spoon River Anthology: Willie Metcalf
Spoon River Anthology: Willie Pennington
Spoon River Anthology: Yee Bow
Spoon River Anthology: Zenas Witt
Spoon River Anthology: Zilpha Marsh
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

About the Author
Edgar Lee Masters was born in 1868 in Garnett, Kansas. He achieved fame in 1915 with the publication of Spoon River Anthology. Though he never matched the success of Spoon River Anthology, Masters was a prolific writer of diverse works. He published several volumes of poems including The Great Valley (1916), Along the Illinois (1942), The Serpent in the Wilderness (1933), and Invisible Landscapes (1935). In the 1940s he was awarded the Poetry Society of America medal, the Shelley Memorial Award, and the Academy of American Poets Fellowship. Edgar Lee Masters died in Melrose, Pennsylvania, in 1950 and is buried in Petersburg, Illinois.

Customer Reviews

We Are Spoon River
There is no Spoon River, IL. Check your map. Several towns argue that they stake their claim in being what Masters asserted to be this mythical town. Petersburg and Lewistown, two towns of otherwise minor repute seem closest... but it is so much better we haven't an actual town... Spoon River's residents are our next door neighbors, whether we live in Central Illinois or Central Florida, or southern Alaska.

Masters has written not fables, but the essence of American life. He hasn't captured the life and times of 1915, but has instead recorded in 1915 the life and times of our present day America.

The same reason the paintings of Norman Rockwell makes sense is why Edgar Lee Masters poetry makes sense. To read the quick messages on the gravestone of one man, learning a little bit him, and something about a neighbor or two, we can learn a little about how we live in communities today.

Our lives, like Jimmy Stewart's character in "It's a Wonderful Life" found out, interact and impact everyone we meet. Who we love, who we should love and who we reject. And when we die, others feel the loss. Masters has aptly put this in a humorous, yet insightful way into short verses.

The poems don't rhyme. The meter is not solid, and the poetics aren't intricate. They aren't poems like Poe's or Dickinson, not in the way they wrote American poems. Don't expect iambic pentameter-based sonnets or villanelles. Expect a conversation, and listen in.

The poetry here is in the subtle use of social nuance. In the nuances are his insight and wit. Two readings will bring to light what you miss in the first.

Buy this book, read it slow. It reads faster than most poetry book, but don't get caught in the temptation to zoom through each poem just because you can.

After you read it, see the play if it happens to be performed in your town.

I fully recommend it.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

A Reminder that history is people.
Spoon River Anthology is an American Classic. It has touched me since my grandfather read parts of it to me more than thirty years ago. Ostensibly it is a collection of autobiographical poems of the silent inhabitants of the town's graveyard. The broad theme, the book's strategy, is the great sweep of what America was like in the nineteenth century. The stories of their lives; joys and sorrows, successes and failures, loves and hates, and secrets of those people in the graveyard are the tactics. Above all, E.L. Masters exposes the hypocrisy and denial in which people have always lived their lives. Even today, in a much worldlier time than the turn of the century when it was written, the brutal honesty of the citizens shakes our complacency. This is no mellow reflection on the good old days. Its citizens corrupt and are corrupted. They suffer loveless marriages. Men run away to war to escape jail or rejection in love, women suffer stifling lack of opportunity and equality. The citizens die in childbirth or from lockjaw contracted from a cut by a rusty knife. Yet in reading about these lives we understand a little more about what it is to be human. None of us could fail to find some stories that in ways match ours to a greater or lesser extent. An in doing so, be granted in life the level of insight into ourselves and others that these storytellers achieved only after their lives had ended.

Everyone can find themselves (or someone they know) in SRA
I use the Dover edition at Buckhannon-Upshur High School with my ninth grade students each spring. Even the kids who say they hate poetry end up liking this book. We read the poems as pieces of a puzzle, trying to put the people and their problems together. We only get about one third of the book done in class, but most of the students read more on their own time. There's a new one--students reading for pleasure!