"Critical Companion to Walt Whitman" contains entries on every one of Walt Whitman's poems, from the widely recognized "Song of Myself," "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd," and "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking," to his minor works.

His major prose works, such as "A Backward Glance O'er Travel'd Roads" and "Democratic Vistas", each edition of "Leaves of Grass", and unique terms used or coined by Whitman, such as "Eidolons" and "Paumanok," are also covered. Helping readers understand the influences on his life are entries on Whitman's family, friends, relatives, and acquaintances; important places where he lived and worked; and ideas important to his work. An essential reference guide, this single-volume addition to the "Critical Companion" series delivers a wealth of information on the life and works of this great American author.