Famous for his nostalgic poems invoking the people and places of rural Indiana, James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) earned himself the nickname "the Hoosier poet." His verse also earned him election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the gold medal of the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and several honorary degrees.
This volume contains a rich selection of his best and most familiar poems — filled with the warmth, humor, and picturesque Hoosier dialect that made Riley one of the most beloved American poets. Included are "The Old Swimmin'-Hole," "The Raggedy Man," "When the Frost Is on the Punkin," "Little Orphant Annie," "An Old Sweetheart of Mine," and many more.