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THE SPIRIT OF AMERICAN LITERATURE is a collection of essays reviewing contemporary authors on the literary scene at the turn of the century and assessing the uniquely American characteristics of their growing body of work. Excerpted from the author’s preface: “In this book something is said about most, if not quite all, of the emergent figures in American literature; an attempt is made to survey the four corners of the national library and to give an impression of its shape and size. If its purpose is approximately realized, this volume will be found to be a little nearer to a collection of appreciative essays than to a formal history or bibliographic manual. …To be sure, the historian avowedly and properly puts emphasis on writers who are dead in the flesh, and finishes off his contemporaries briefly because they are not yet established and are too numerous to mention. But it seems well, in books about literature, not to discuss writers admittedly dead in the spirit, whose names persist by the inertia of reputation...All that I wish to plead is that a living lion is better than a dead mouse...If, as I believe, accepted handbooks and histories of American literature pay too much attention to doubly dead worthies, whose books are not interesting, and miss or but timidly acknowledge contemporary excellence, there is a way of accounting for it.” (Summary by lubee930)

2Mrs. Mulligatawny

By Arthur Macy

Arthur Macy was a Nantucket boy of Quaker extraction. His name alone is evidence of this, for it is safe to say that a Macy, wherever found in the United States, is descended from that sturdy old Quaker who was one of those who bought Nantucket from the Indians, paid them fairly for it, treated them with justice, and lived on friendly terms with them. In many ways Arthur Macy showed that he was a Nantucketer and, at least by descent, a Quaker. He often used phrases peculiar to our island in the sea, and was given, in conversation at least, to similes which smacked of salt water. Almost the last time I saw him he said, "I'm coming round soon for a good long gam." (Summary from the Introduction to Poems by Arthur Macy)<br /><br />This was the fortnightly poem for March 13, 2015.

3Five Senses

By Arthur Macy

Arthur Macy was a Nantucket boy of Quaker extraction. His name alone is evidence of this, for it is safe to say that a Macy, wherever found in the United States, is descended from that sturdy old Quaker who was one of those who bought Nantucket from the Indians, paid them fairly for it, treated them with justice, and lived on friendly terms with them. In many ways Arthur Macy showed that he was a Nantucketer and, at least by descent, a Quaker. He often used phrases peculiar to our island in the sea, and was given, in conversation at least, to similes which smacked of salt water. Almost the last time I saw him he said, "I'm coming round soon for a good long gam."<br /><br /> Arthur Macy's view of life was certainly broad and generous, with a philosophic flavor. (from the Introduction (by William Alfred Hovey) to POEMS BY ARTHUR MACY (1905))

4Easy Knowledge

By Arthur Macy

Arthur Macy did not consider his work of sufficiently high poetic standard to be published. Every one praised his choice of words, his wonderful facility in rhyme, the perfection of his metre, and the daintiness and delicacy of his verse. "All right," he would say, "but that is not Poetry with a big P, and that is the only kind that should be published. And there is mighty little of it." (from the introduction to Poems by Arthur Macy; written by William Alfred Hovey, June 7, 1905)

5Bit of Color

By Arthur Macy

LibriVox volunteers bring you 14 recordings of A Bit of Color by Arthur Macy.<br> This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for August 23, 2020. <br> ------<br> Our Poet paints a colorful picture of Paris in 1896. - Summary by David Lawrence

6In Remembrance

By Arthur Macy

LibriVox volunteers bring you 14 recordings of In Remembrance by Arthur Macy.<br> This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for November 7, 2021. <br> ------<br> A tribute to friends both past and present, this poem is taken from Poems by Arthur Macy (1905) - Summary by David Lawrence

7Story of My Life, Part 2 (Letters 1887 - 1901)

By Helen Keller and John Albert Macy

When Helen Keller's autobiography was first published in 1903, Part 1 of this 3 part book, she was just a young woman studying at Radcliffe College. In it, she shares memories of her childhood, describes how Miss Sullivan rescued her from complete darkness, and reflects on her experiences as a college student.<br><br> Part 2 is a collection of Helen's letters from age 8 through 1901, addressed to various teachers, friends and mentors. This is interspersed with introductory commentary by her editor John Albert Macy. It is fascinating to see how her awareness of the world expanded as she matured, how much she relied on "teacher" (Anne Sullivan) to be her eyes ears, and interpreter of life, and displays her extraordinary graciousness, and ability to paint word pictures from an early age.<br><br> Part 3 of this book includes in-depth writings by her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan, on her teaching methods, their experiences learning together; and additional insightful commentary by editor John Albert Macy on Helen’s extraordinary education, personality, giftedness, and literary style.<br><br> The 1962 hit movie "The Miracle Worker" (nominated for 5 academy awards), starring Anne Bancroft (won Best Actress) and Patty Duke (won Best Supporting Actress), was based upon information in this book. (Summary by Michele Fry)

8Story of My Life, Part 3 (Supplemental - Helen's Education)

By Helen Keller, John Albert Macy and Anne Sullivan

Secondary Title - <u>A supplementary Account of Helen Keller's Education, including passages from the Reports and Letters of her Teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan</u>. In fact, over half of the book is Anne Sullivan's written reports for the Perkins Institute on her unique (homeschooling on steroids!) teaching methods, which she invented as she went along. John Albert Macy, Anne Sullivan's husband, was uniquely positioned to gather the written material in this book. He helped Helen edit the now famous "The Story Of My Life" (Part 1 of this trilogy), describing her early life in her own words. He was able to gather Helen's early letters (Part 2), and for Part 3 to gain access to Anne Sullivan's papers, and sundry correspondence from the great influencers in Helen's life. According to Macy, it was Miss Sullivan who discovered the way to teach language to the deaf-blind. (Summary by Michele Fry, BC and Editor, May 2022)

9Indifferent Mariner

By Arthur Macy

LibriVox volunteers bring you 13 recordings of The Indifferent Mariner by Arthur Macy.<br> This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for June 23, 2024. <br> ------<br> Arthur Macy was a Nantucket boy of Quaker extraction. He often used phrases peculiar to our island in the sea, and was given, in conversation at least, to similes which smacked of salt water. - from the Introduction to POEMS BY ARTHUR MACY (1905) by William Alfred Hovey.