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The Best of James Whitcomb Riley
The best-loved poems by the "Hoosier Poet" are here collected to read and cherish time and time again. Included are some of Riley's most durable and endearing works―poems about nature, home, and country as well as the dialect poems for which Riley is famous.
224 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1982
6 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
James Whitcomb Riley
1,069 books51 followersJames Whitcomb Riley, an American, known as the Hoosier Poet, wrote his
most famous works, “Little Orphant Annie” (1885) and “The Raggedy Man” (1890), in particular speech patterns to Indiana.
Elizabeth Marine Riley in a small cabin bore him to Reuben A. Riley, local attorney. After James Whitcomb, the governor of Indiana, parents named him. Many of the visitors to home of his father influenced him. In particular, he ably picked up the cadence and character of the dialect of central Indiana and the travelers along the old National Road, which came through the many poems that he went to write.
Mary Alice Smith, a particular visitor, eventually stayed to live with the Riley family. Mary Alice ("Allie") Smith influenced Riley, Little Orphant Annie, which was originally to be called Little Orphant Allie but an error of the typesetter changed the name of the poem.
Riley was never a great student. Before he dropped out of school at age 16, a former teacher encouraged him to appreciate nature. He attempted to study law in his father's law office, however he found that the law was not for him, whereupon he took several different jobs in rapid succession.
Riley had his first poem published in 1870 when he was 21. He began writing for several newspapers, eventually working for the Indianapolis Journal in Indianapolis, Indiana writing miscellaneous articles, versifying whenever possible.
Riley's big break came with the private publishing of a thousand copies of The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems in 1883 under the pseudonym of "Benjamin F. Johnson, of Boone". The book rapidly sold all of the first printing, causing Indianapolis book publisher Merrill, Meigs and Company to quickly contract with Riley to publish the second edition of The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems. Riley continued to work with the publishing company which eventually became Bowen-Merrill and finally Bobbs-Merrill. The 1886 publishing The Boss Girl began to publish new Riley literature regularly. As a result he began to tour the United States giving lectures, starting in the mid-1880s.
In 1893 he was invited to live at the residence of Charles and Magdalena Holstein within the Indianapolis neighborhood of Lockerbie. He would call this his permanent residence for the last 23 years of his life, although he eventually purchased his childhood home, and allowed his brother, John Riley, to live there.
He was in demand throughout his life, including being a guest at the White House. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1912 the National Institute of Arts and Letters gave him the gold medal of poetry, the first poet so honored. He also received several honorary degrees.
Riley loved children, but he never had any of his own; he also never married. Evidence points that he regretted his bachelorhood and childlessness. Many believe that his poems about and for children were written due to this regret. Others attribute his poems to his regrets over alcoholism and his possible affliction with syphilis.
Indiana honored Riley after his death in 1916 by burying him in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. The site of his grave is atop Strawberry Hill, the highest point in Indianapolis, offering a spectacular view of the city. Although Riley's poetry has fallen out of popularity, a few of his poems, such as Little Orphant Annie and Lockerbie Street, continue to be taught in schools in Indiana.
In 1916 a group of prominent citizens from Indianapolis organized the Riley Memorial Association (now the Riley Children's Foundation) to build a children's hospital in memory of the Hoosier Poet. The James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children opened in 1924.
The foundation also purchased the poet's home in his later years in downtown Indianapolis; it is maintained as a museum and today, the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home is the only late-Victorian home in Indiana that is o
most famous works, “Little Orphant Annie” (1885) and “The Raggedy Man” (1890), in particular speech patterns to Indiana.
Elizabeth Marine Riley in a small cabin bore him to Reuben A. Riley, local attorney. After James Whitcomb, the governor of Indiana, parents named him. Many of the visitors to home of his father influenced him. In particular, he ably picked up the cadence and character of the dialect of central Indiana and the travelers along the old National Road, which came through the many poems that he went to write.
Mary Alice Smith, a particular visitor, eventually stayed to live with the Riley family. Mary Alice ("Allie") Smith influenced Riley, Little Orphant Annie, which was originally to be called Little Orphant Allie but an error of the typesetter changed the name of the poem.
Riley was never a great student. Before he dropped out of school at age 16, a former teacher encouraged him to appreciate nature. He attempted to study law in his father's law office, however he found that the law was not for him, whereupon he took several different jobs in rapid succession.
Riley had his first poem published in 1870 when he was 21. He began writing for several newspapers, eventually working for the Indianapolis Journal in Indianapolis, Indiana writing miscellaneous articles, versifying whenever possible.
Riley's big break came with the private publishing of a thousand copies of The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems in 1883 under the pseudonym of "Benjamin F. Johnson, of Boone". The book rapidly sold all of the first printing, causing Indianapolis book publisher Merrill, Meigs and Company to quickly contract with Riley to publish the second edition of The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems. Riley continued to work with the publishing company which eventually became Bowen-Merrill and finally Bobbs-Merrill. The 1886 publishing The Boss Girl began to publish new Riley literature regularly. As a result he began to tour the United States giving lectures, starting in the mid-1880s.
In 1893 he was invited to live at the residence of Charles and Magdalena Holstein within the Indianapolis neighborhood of Lockerbie. He would call this his permanent residence for the last 23 years of his life, although he eventually purchased his childhood home, and allowed his brother, John Riley, to live there.
He was in demand throughout his life, including being a guest at the White House. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1912 the National Institute of Arts and Letters gave him the gold medal of poetry, the first poet so honored. He also received several honorary degrees.
Riley loved children, but he never had any of his own; he also never married. Evidence points that he regretted his bachelorhood and childlessness. Many believe that his poems about and for children were written due to this regret. Others attribute his poems to his regrets over alcoholism and his possible affliction with syphilis.
Indiana honored Riley after his death in 1916 by burying him in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. The site of his grave is atop Strawberry Hill, the highest point in Indianapolis, offering a spectacular view of the city. Although Riley's poetry has fallen out of popularity, a few of his poems, such as Little Orphant Annie and Lockerbie Street, continue to be taught in schools in Indiana.
In 1916 a group of prominent citizens from Indianapolis organized the Riley Memorial Association (now the Riley Children's Foundation) to build a children's hospital in memory of the Hoosier Poet. The James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children opened in 1924.
The foundation also purchased the poet's home in his later years in downtown Indianapolis; it is maintained as a museum and today, the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home is the only late-Victorian home in Indiana that is o
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 26, 2020
Really fun reading, especially for reading aloud with the dialect. A few painfully sentimental pieces I didn't care for, but overall the rich rural imagery and colorful characters made it a delightful experience.
July 11, 2012
What a delight! I found a number of new poems that touch me. He seems to be able to make summer as a child live again. I loved learning more about Annie (Allie).
August 9, 2014
fun stuff, not big on poetry though. I actually read this because I saw a photo of James Dean holding the book, guess they were from the same town.
December 22, 2025
Dabbling in a little poetry! He really embodies the spirit of Indiana and I love that he writes in a rural dialect!
December 8, 2022
I may have this. Saw James Dean reading a giant tome of Riley.
As a Hoosier from Dean's hometown with a grandad middle named Riley I should read more Riley. I can't stay focused long when reading poetry. I've read a little more Pound, he got kicked out of Indiana once. Smugster proly had it coming.
As a Hoosier from Dean's hometown with a grandad middle named Riley I should read more Riley. I can't stay focused long when reading poetry. I've read a little more Pound, he got kicked out of Indiana once. Smugster proly had it coming.
October 5, 2008
Wonderful poems. My Grandma Butler said that they would recite them as they dried the dishes.
September 20, 2025
Difficulty reading the language of the time.
April 12, 2009
My Grandma would read these to me as a child, and these poems were some of the first I learned to read aloud. My favorite Hoosier poet.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews