Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
I think Sandburg wrote this poem. Where can I find it?
A: Please consult
Sandburg's Complete
Poems: Revised and Expanded published in 1970 (reissued in
2003). Unlike the 1950 edition of Sandburg's Complete Poems,
the Revised and Expanded edition contains a title and first line index.
Also try searching the full text, online versions of Chicago Poems
and Cornhuskers.
Q: Can you tell me
where I can find criticism of a specific Sandburg poem?
A: Not much is written
about Sandburg's poetry as a whole, let alone individually. I suggest
taking a look at the annotated bibliography on the Sandburg Biography webpage for a list of helpful resources,
particularly the book by Dale Salwak. My second suggestion is to contact
your nearest librarian for help. There are additional poetry resources
available (none of them online, I'm afraid) which your librarian should
be able to help you use to locate poetry criticism.
Q: Where can I find
a recording of Carl Sandburg reading or singing his works?
A: A few recordings
of Sandburg are available through the Carl Sandburg State Historic
Site's online catalog. For out-of-print items,
such as his Rootabaga Stories, you will need to patiently search the
various online auctions, such as eBay or Amazon.com.
I have noticed, on occasion, recordings for sale, so check periodically.
Q: How much is my
Sandburg book worth?
A: I suggest you search
an online used book store database, such as ABEBooks.com for your title. This will help
you determine how much used book stores are selling your title for.
If you wish to sell your item, I suggest posting it to an online auction
(see above) to maximize your return. If you can not sell your item
this way, I suggest taking it to a used book store. Be aware that
you will only receive 30-40% or the total value of the book, sometimes
less. The book store isn't trying to rip you off -- they just have
to make a profit. They may have to house the book for several years
before a buyer comes along, so be understanding. If you let them know
you are aware of it's value, that may help your cause.
Note: I will no longer
be able to provide estimates of value for Sandburg items. I am happy
to offer a bid for purchasing Sandburg items, but am unable to appraise
items which I have not physically examined.
Q: Who do I contact
to inquire about using copyrighted Carl Sandburg material?
A: WATCH: Writers, Artists, and
Their Copyright Holders (Maintained by the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
at the University of Texas at Austin) lists two contacts for Carl
Sandburg. Write to them for permission to republish Sandburg poems
or for any other copyright needs:
Philip G. Carson, Co-Trustee, and
Susan Taylor Rash, Co-Trustee
Carl Sandburg Family Trust
c/o Adams Hendon Carson Crow & Saenger, P.A.
P.O. Box 2714
Asheville, NC 28802
Phone - 828-252-7381
Fax - 828-252-5018
