Ed Folsom, the Roy J. Carver Professor of English at the University of Iowa, is the editor of the Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, codirector of the online Whitman Archive, and editor of the Whitman Series at the University of Iowa Press. He lives in Iowa City, Iowa.

Christopher Merrill has published numerous collections of poetry, edited volumes, books of translations, and nonfiction, including Only the Nails Remain: Scenes from the Balkan Wars, Things of the Hidden God: Journey to the Holy Mountain, and The Tree of the Doves: Ceremony, Expedition, War. He is the director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. He lives in Iowa City, Iowa.

"This book offers the fresh and illuminating interpretations of a critic and a poet, two longtime readers of Whitman's poetry deeply engaged in respinning all fifty-two sections of Song of Myself from their unique and equally perceptive angles of vision. Highly recommended for use at both the undergraduate and graduate levels."--Jerome Loving, author, Walt Whitman: The Song of Himself

"When most critics write about literary texts, they focus on their favorite passages and ignore others that happen to not fit their agenda. Folsom and Merrill do something far different by entering into a dialog with Whitman's Song of Myself, taking on the text of Whitman's longest and most influential poem in its entirety. Their alternation of lyrical and critical voices makes for an entirely new and exhilarating reading experience that will open many new doors to Whitman's greatest work for readers around the world."--Walter Grünzweig, author, Constructing the German Walt Whitman

"An enlivening experiment in contrapuntal criticism. Folsom and Merrill--distinguished critic and poet--each provide section by section commentary on Song of Myself. Bold in form, rich in insight, this is the rare book that will be equally prized by novices and experts. Few books have brought me such pleasure."--Kenneth M. Price, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

"In this book, Ed Folsom and Christopher Merrill are the first to undertake an attentive and detailed reading of every section of Walt Whitman's Song of Myself. Their readings offer a gift of wit, wisdom, and delight that will shape conversations about Whitman's democratic epic for years to come."--Betsy Erkkilä, Northwestern University