Walt Whitman's Guide to Manly Health and Training

by Walt Whitman

Overview

A giftable, illustrated collection of quotes and pithy advice—equal parts self-help and grooming guide—by quintessential American poet and writer Walt Whitman.

In 1858, famed American author Walt Whitman penned a series of newspaper columns under a pseudonym on the subject of “manly health and training,” shortly before his landmark third edition of Leaves of Grass was published. Recently discovered for the first time in 150 years, the fascinating manifesto contains the renowned poet’s advice and musings on topics such as diet, exercise, grooming, alcohol, dancing, sports, and more. This short collection presents more than 75 of his best quips, quotes, and extracts on healthy living, all in Whitman’s signature lyrical prose style.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399579486
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	929,024
Product dimensions:	4.60(w) x 6.70(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

WALT WHITMAN (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist whose work—including the seminal Leaves of Grass—is some of the most important and influential of the American canon.

Read an Excerpt

ON MANLY HEALTH 

Manly health! Is there not a kind of charm—a fascinating magic in the words? We fancy we see the look with which the phrase is met by many a young man, strong, alert, vigorous, whose mind has always felt, but never formed in words, the ambition to attain to the perfection of his bodily powers—has realized to himself that all other goods of existence would hardly be goods, in comparison with a perfect body, perfect blood—no morbid humors, no weakness, no impotency or deficiency or bad stuff in him; but all running over with animation and ardor, all marked by herculean strength, suppleness, a clear complexion, and the rich results (which follow such causes) of a laughing voice, a merry song morn and night, a sparkling eye, and an ever-happy soul! To such a young man—to all who read these lines—let us, with rapid pen, sketch some of the requisites toward this condition of sound health we talk of—a condition, we wish it distinctly understood, far easier to attain than is generally supposed; and which, even to many of those long wrenched by bad habits or by illness, must not be despaired of, but perseveringly striven for, as, in reason, probable and almost certain yet to attain. 


ON GUARDING ONE’S MANLY POWER 

Guard your manly power, your health and strength, from all hurts and violations—this is the most sacred charge you will ever have in your keeping.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

FOREWORD 2
INTRODUCTION 4

1 THE VALUE OF TRAINING 6

2 GENERAL HEALTH & GOOD HABITS 22

3 EXERCISE & SPORT 38

4 GROOMING & DRESS 56

5 FOOD & DRINK 74

6 MENTAL HEALTH & MORAL FORTITUDE 88

7 MISCELLANY 104

CONCLUSION 118
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 123