Whitman on Wellness

Long before today's modern use of the term <i>wellness</i> Walt Whitman widely considered to be one of America's greatest poets extolled the virtues of self-care and the mind-body connection. In a series of thirteen newspaper installments written in 1858 for <i>The New York Atlas</i> under the pseudonym Mose Velsor -- unearthed more than 150 years later by a University of Houston graduate student -- Whitman adopted the role of advice columnist. Velsor dispensed tips on manly health issues including alcohol use depression diet exercise physical beauty sex socialization and a host of other subjects. This volume juxtaposes excerpts of Whitman's well-known verse with his lesser-known prose offering unique and fascinating insights into one of America's most beloved poets.