First published in 1883, this charming book includes many of James Whitcomb Riley's signature poems, including "Thoughts fer the Discuraged Farmer" and "When the Frost Is on the Punkin." Also graced by noted Brown County artist Will Vawter's folksy illustrations of farm scenes from our past, this Library of Indiana Classics edition faithfully reproduces the 1905 edition. A must-have for Riley enthusiasts everywhere, it offers a warm look at how farm life was depicted over a century ago.

Riley Farm-Rhymes (Library of Indiana Classics)

Literature & Fiction

RILEY, James Whitcomb

Literary

Indiana University Press

A must-have for Riley enthusiasts everywhere, this classic book has been faithfully reproduced for Indiana’s state bicentennial. Now with an introduction by lifelong Riley enthusiast and former Indiana Poet Laureate Norbert Krapf, this charming book contains 39 of James Whitcomb Riley's signature poems, including "Old Aunt Mary's," "Little Orphant Annie," and "The Raggedy Man." Graced by noted Brown County artist Will Vawter's illustrations of such poems as "The Nine Goblins," "The Circus Day Parade," and "Barefoot, Hungry, Lean Ornery Boys," this book offers a look at how childhood was lived a century ago. First produced in 1890, Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures recalls simpler times gone by.

Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures: Indiana Bicentennial Edition (Library of Indiana Classics)

Children's Books

Few lives have left so vivid an impression upon a native environment as that of James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier Poet. His folksy, down-home rhymes are still enormously popular in his native state and beyond. This publication brings back into print the complete Riley repertoire of more than 1,000 poems, including such all-time favorites as "Little Orphant Annie" (far and away the best-loved of all Riley characters), "The Raggedy Man," "Our Hired Girl," "A Barefoot Boy," "The Bumblebee," "Granny," and "When the Frost Is on the Punkin." It is said that Indiana’s best-known poet did not portray but invented the typical Hoosier. Applying imaginative skill, Riley altered and adapted the people around him to suit his purpose. As Jeannette Covert Nolan once put it, the figure who emerged was "a mellow, humorous rustic, a quaint, bucolic philosopher, unlettered but gifted with an earthy shrewdness, a peasant wisdom, a heart of gold, speaking a drawling, hybrid tongue, a dubious dialect as yet unidentified by any philologist." In his heyday Riley was famous all over the world. Though often called a children’s poet, he actually wrote about children for adults, delighting in emotional reminders of an irretrievable past―perhaps one that never quite existed. Throughout his life Riley looked back wistfully and sentimentally upon his childhood days, turning the longings and unfulfilled dreams of youth into verse. So celebrated was he in Indiana that in many public elementary schools, students were required to memorize and recite one of his poems every week for admiring audiences of visiting parents.
If I Knew What Poets Know If I knew what poets know, Did I know what poets do, If I knew what poets know, Would I write a rhyme Would I sing a song, I would find a theme Of the buds that never blow Sadder than the pigeon’s coo Sweeter than the placid flow In the summer-time? When the days are long? Of the fairest dream: Would I sing of golden seeds Where I found a heart in pain, I would sing of love that lives Springing up in ironweeds? I would make it glad again; On the errors it forgives: And of rain-drop turned to snow, And the false should be the true, And the world would better grow If I knew what poets know? Did I know what poets do. If I knew what poets know. ―James Whitcomb Riley

The Complete Poetical Works of James Whitcomb Riley

Poetry

Few lives have left so vivid an impression upon a native environment as that of James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier Poet. His folksy, downhome rhymes are still enormously popular in his native state and beyond. This publication brings back into print the complete Riley repertoire of more than 1,000 poems, including such all-time favorites as: "Little Orphant Annie" (far and away the best-loved of all Riley characters), "The Raggedy Man," "Our Hired Girl," "A Barefoot Boy," "The Bumblebee," "Granny," and "When the Frost Is on the Punkin." It is said that Indiana's best-known poet did not portray but invented the typical Hoosier. Applying imaginative skill, Riley altered and adapted the people around him to suit his purpose. As Jeannette Covert Nolan once put it, the figure who emerged was "a mellow, humorous rustic, a quaint, bucolic philosopher, unlettered but gifted with an earthy shrewdness, a peasant wisdom, a heart of gold, speaking a drawling, hybrid tongue, a dubious dialect as yet unidentified by any philologist. ..." In his heyday Riley was famous all over the world. Though often called a children's poet, he actually wrote about children for adults delighting in emotional reminders of an irretrievable past - perhaps one that never quite existed. Throughout his life Riley looked back wistfully and sentimentally upon his childhood days, turning the longings and unfulfilled dreams of youth into verse. So celebrated was he in Indiana that in many public elementary schools students were required to memorize and recite one of his poems every week for admiring audiences of visiting parents.

First produced in 1890, this charming book includes 39 of James Whitcomb Riley's signature poems, such as "Old Aunt Mary's," "Little Orphant Annie," and "The Raggedy Man." Graced by noted Brown County artist Will Vawter's illustrations of scenes such as "The Nine Goblins," "The Circus Day Parade," and "Barefoot, Hungry, Lean Ornery Boys," Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures recalls simpler times gone by. This Library of Indiana Classics edition reproduces the 1905 edition. A must-have for Riley enthusiasts everywhere, this book offers a look at how childhood was lived a century ago.

Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures (Library of Indiana Classics)

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley

History

Franklin Classics

The Best Loved Poems of James Whitcomb Riley

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Riley Farm-Rhymes (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Riley Farm-RhymesWhat smith knew about farming when early march seems middle may when the frost IS ON the punkin when the green gits back IN the trees where the children used TO play wortermelon time.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Forgotten Books

Excerpt from The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley, Vol. 1 of 10On Sunday morning, October seventh, 1849, Reuben A. Riley and his wife, Elizabeth Marine Riley, rejoiced over the birth of their second son. They called him James Whitcomb. This was in a shady little street in the shady little town of Green field, which is in the county of Hancock and the state of Indiana. The young James found a brother and a sister waiting to greet him - John Andrew and Martha Celestia, and afterward came Elva May -mrs. Henry Eitel - Alexander Humbolt and Mary Elizabeth, who, of all, alone lives to see this collec tion of her brother's poems.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley, Vol. 1 of 10 (Classic Reprint)

Gobble-uns tales as told by Little Orphant Annie.

The Gobble-Uns 'll Git You Ef You Don't Watch Out! - James Whitcomb Riley's Little Orphant Annie

Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by RILEY, James Whitcomb. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by RILEY, James Whitcomb

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by RILEY, James Whitcomb. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Riley Farm-Rhymes (Library of Indiana Classics)

Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures: Indiana Bicentennial Edition (Library of Indiana Classics)

The Complete Poetical Works of James Whitcomb Riley

The Complete Poetical Works of James Whitcomb Riley

Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures (Library of Indiana Classics)

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley

The Best Loved Poems of James Whitcomb Riley

Riley Farm-Rhymes (Classic Reprint)

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley, Vol. 1 of 10 (Classic Reprint)

The Gobble-Uns 'll Git You Ef You Don't Watch Out! - James Whitcomb Riley's Little Orphant Annie