The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Edited by Thomas H. Johnson, 1960 - Little Brown, 1,775 Poems

A 1960 edition of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson and published by Little, Brown and Company. This is the landmark one-volume edition that brought together all 1,775 of Dickinson’s poems, following Johnson’s three-volume critical edition of 1955. The poems are arranged chronologically, allowing the collection to be read not only as a complete body of work but also as a record of the development of Dickinson’s voice, ideas, and style over time.

The volume begins with Johnson’s introduction and is followed by the complete poems, then acknowledgments and information about previous collections. A subject index and an index of first lines make the book especially useful for finding individual poems. The edition also includes bibliographical references.

Dickinson’s poetry ranges widely through subjects including death, immortality, nature, love, faith, doubt, solitude, and the inner life. Her compressed language, unusual punctuation and capitalization, slant rhymes, and striking imagery give the poems their distinctive character. Having the complete collection together makes it possible to see both the recurring themes and the remarkable variety of her work.

This edition contains 770 pages and measures 6.5” x 9.5”. The book is in like-new condition, with a clean, exceptionally well-preserved cover, binding, and interior. The dust jacket shows some wear from age and handling but remains present.