300 Books Donated to the Walt Whitman Birthplace

A 300-book collection, some rare, all relating to Walt Whitman, was donated to the new Norman and Jeanette Gould Library, which is housed in the Walt Whitman Birthplace, and celebrated on Thursday’s launch, in part, by the attendance of Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Huntington Station).

Donnelly, who presented County Proclamations at the event, praised the donation. The collection includes first editions of “November Boughs” and “Leaves of Grass” which are listed on AbeBooks (a reputable book-listing site which practiced booksellers use) for $15,000 and $270,000, respectively.

The collection was cultivated by Northport’s late Marvin Feinstein, who was a bookseller and book collector. After his death, his widow, Miriam, and sons, David and Allen offered to donate a portion of the library to the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association (WWBA). Due to their historic and literary significance, WWBA Trustee Jeffrey S. Gould secured and subsequently donated the books to the new library which he named in honor of his parents. The donors also attended the event.

The Walt Whitman Birthplace is located at 246 Old Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station.

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