Legends of New-England was John Greenleaf Whittier's first book, published in 1831. It includes Whittier's retelling of eighteen legends that were current in his time, some in prose and some in poetry.

It is of interest because it is Whittier's earliest work, because it lets us look at early American folk legends, and because the stories themselves are fascinating. It has some of the earliest tales of the supernatural in American literature, which compare with Poe's and Hawthorne's stories.

Given Whittier's importance as an American writer, it is surprising that this book has...