Karen Karbiener is a Whitman scholar at New York University. She has published widely on Whitman’s life and work, and edited Leaves of Grass: First and Death-bed Editions for Barnes & Noble Classics. She is a recognized public scholar and has been featured in radio, television, and online programs, authored two audio books on Whitman’s cultural legacy, and hosts New York City’s annual “Song of Myself” Marathon. She lives in New York City.