author
Carl Sandburg
1878–1967
A plainspoken American voice who turned city streets, prairie life, and the lives of ordinary people into memorable poetry. He was also a celebrated biographer of Abraham Lincoln, earning lasting fame in both literature and history.
2 Audiobooks
Rootabaga Stories
by Carl Sandburg
Rootabaga pigeons
by Carl Sandburg
About the author
Born in Galesburg, Illinois, to Swedish immigrant parents, Carl Sandburg worked a long list of jobs as a young man before becoming known as a poet, journalist, and writer. That early experience with working-class life helped shape the direct, accessible style that made his poems feel close to everyday speech.
He became widely known for collections such as Chicago Poems, Cornhuskers, and Smoke and Steel, which brought energy, grit, and sympathy to modern American poetry. Sandburg also wrote books for children, including Rootabaga Stories, and he was admired for his interest in folk music and American traditions.
Beyond poetry, he devoted years to writing about Abraham Lincoln. His multi-volume biography, including Abraham Lincoln: The War Years, became one of his best-known achievements. Over his career, he won three Pulitzer Prizes—two for poetry and one for biography—securing his place as one of the major American literary figures of the 20th century.