Edgar Lee Masters Books

In Spoon River Anthology, the American poet Edgar Lee Masters (1869–1950) created a series of compelling free-verse monologues in which former citizens of a mythical Midwestern town speak touchingly from the grave of the thwarted hopes and dream of their lives. First published in book form in 1915, the Anthology was the crowning achievement of Masters' career as a poet, and a work that would become a landmark of 20th-century American literature. In these pages, no less than 214 individual voices are heard — some in no more than a dozen moving lines. Alternately plaintive, anguished, enigmatic, angry, and contemptuous, the voices of Spoon River, although distinctively small-town Americans, evoke themes of love and hope, disappointment and despair that are universal in their resonance. This American classic is reprinted here from the authoritative 1915 edition.

Exploring themes of isolation and the longing for connection, the narrative delves into the emotional landscape of a solitary soul. It reflects on the complexities of relationships and the impact of loneliness on one's identity. The protagonist's journey reveals profound insights into the nature of companionship and the human experience, ultimately questioning what it means to truly belong. Through evocative prose, the book invites readers to contemplate their own connections and the essence of companionship in a transient world.

This book is a reproduction of a historical work, produced by the publishing house Megali, which focuses on creating large print editions. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility for readers with impaired vision, ensuring that important historical texts remain available and readable for a wider audience.

The collection features Edgar Lee Masters' signature lyrical expression intertwined with sharp satirical wit. Showcasing his versatility, the early 20th-century compilation includes both poignant, melodic verses and incisive commentary, highlighting the author's unique ability to blend emotion with critique.

The book is a classical work that has maintained its significance over a century, reflecting its enduring importance in human history. Alpha Editions has taken steps to preserve it by republishing it in a modern format, ensuring clarity and readability through reformatting and retyping. This effort aims to make the text accessible for both present and future generations, emphasizing its value in literary heritage.

Edgar Lee Masters (1868-1950) was an American attorney, poet, biographer, and dramatist. He is the author of Spoon River Anthology, The New Star Chamber and Other Essays, Songs and Satires, The Great Valley, The Serpent in the Wilderness, An Obscure Tale, The Spleen, Mark Twain: A Portrait, Lincoln: The Man, and Illinois Poems. In all, Masters published twelve plays, twenty-one books of poetry, six novels and six biographies, including those of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Vachel Lindsay, and Walt Whitman. The culture around Lewistown, in addition to the town's cemetery at Oak Hill, and the nearby Spoon River were the inspirations for many of his works, most notably Spoon River Anthology, his most famous and acclaimed work. It gained a huge popularity, but shattered his position as a respectable member of establishment.

Oltre trecento personaggi raccontano la storia infelice della loro vita e comunicano il proprio testamento spirituale: "The New Spoon River", pubblicato da Masters nove anni dopo la famosa "Spoon River Anthology", appare oggi un classico della poesia di ogni tempo e paese. La poesia dei morti di Spoon River è, in ultima analisi, un moderno poema dantesco, una "divina commedia" rivisitata attraverso lo sguardo e la voce non di una "persona" singola ma di un centinaio di "peccatori" anonimi che, con la pubblica confessione, si danno finalmente "il" nome che non era stato loro riconosciuto in vita.

Z dlhého radu kníh E. L. Mastersa mu iba jediná zabezpečila nárok na slávu: Spoonriverská antológia. Úspech tohto diela je o to pozoruhodnejší, že ho autor napísal až po štyridsiatke, keď iní majú najväčší rozmach tvorivých síl už za sebou. Podarilo sa mu však vypovedať istú pravdu o svete a svojej epoche, a tak sa dostáva do dejín literatúry, aj keď už nijaké z jeho diel nedosiahlo veľkosť tejto zbierky. Zostal homo unius libri, človek jedinej knihy.