Carl Sandburg: A Biography

Attacked though he may have been by some literary critics, Sandburg (1878-1967) captured in his rugged free verse the varied substance and rhythms of American life more fully, says Niven, than any poet of his time. He was a vagabond poet, a minstrel of democracy, a champion in verse and prose of the rights of the working class, his poems deeply felt rather than cerebral. Backed by the author's seven years of research, this major biography presents this son of immigrant Swedes in his roles as hobo, soldier, journalist, orator, socialist, biographer of Abraham Lincoln and poet. Freelance writer Niven covers his long, fruitful life, and his happy marriage to Paula Steichen, in elegant prose that captures the sweep of his development as poet and man. Her book is a fine achievement. Photos not seen by PW. (July)