"Two or three years ago I wrote for a local newspaper a series of sketches of some of the private libraries of Providence. These sketches, due in some degree, perhaps, to their having been copied into 'The American Bibliopolist', attracted so much attention here and elsewhere, that I have consented to collect them and to permit a limited edition to be published in book form."---Page iii
After his daughter was born prematurely in 2010, Burriesci set out to write a book for her 18th birthday. In short, honest, and simple letters, Burriesci teaches his daughter about 32 great books, from Plato to Karl Marx, and how their lessons have applied to his life. As someone who has spent a long and successful career advocating for great literature, Burriesci defends the titles in this series of tender and candid letters, rich in personal experience and full of humor. Dead White Guys is also a timely defense of the great books, arriving in the middle of a national debate about the fate of these books in high schools and universities around the country. Burriesci shows how the great books can enrich our lives as individuals, as citizens, and in our careers.
This is the definitive book on Edgar Allan Poe's doomed romance with Providence poet Sarah Helen Whitman, and the first time her poetry has been available in print since 1916. This book contains the poems both poets wrote to and about one another, and the best work they might have read to one another during their courtship. The essay traces Poe's 28 days in Providence in detail, as well as the genealogy and family history of Mrs. Whitman. Additionally, an appreciation of Sarah Helen Whitman's highly romantic poetry helps to place her in the pantheon of American women poets where she belongs. The 66-page essay is a day-by-account of Poe's courtship in Providence as well as the course of his writing and publishing career from 1845 to the end of 1848. The poetry selections include the complete, original version of "Ulalume;" both versions of Whitman's parody poem of "The Raven;" Whitman's Poe sonnet group, and the central section, "Noon," from her masterpiece, "Hours of Life." From this book emerges a clear picture of the intellectual attraction these two poets felt for one another, as well as a detailed account of Poe's attempted suicide. The stifled atmosphere of Providence society, and the role of artists in resisting it, are also illuminated with new revelations about Mrs. Whitman's family and artistic circle. The book also has interesting details about the role of the Providence Athenaeum library as a locale in the Poe-Whitman romance.
An outstanding and detailed history depicting the various ways in which this important historic and influential library helped to shape the American experience. The Providence Athenaeum, celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2003, continues to play a significant role in defining the cultural, intellectual and social life of Rhode Island and southern New England. Having withstood numerous wars, depressions and prosperity alike, this magnificent library is one of the oldest such institutions this side of the Atlantic. And as historic as it may be, it remains a growing, changing institution, attracting exceptional people and exceptional collections. Karen Philippi's photography and Malcolm Grear's visually stunning design compels the reader to rediscover the hidden treasures housed within the Athenaeum's walls. Beautifully illustrated in black and white and color. Published by The Providence Athenaeum and distributed by Oak Knoll Press.
