Walden and Civil Disobedience eBook Henry David Thoreau
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Walden is an American book written by noted transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and manual for self-reliance. It details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond, amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. The book compresses the time into a single calendar year and uses passages of four seasons to symbolize human development. By immersing himself in nature, Thoreau hoped to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection. Simple living and self-sufficiency were Thoreau's other goals, and the whole project was inspired by transcendentalist philosophy, a central theme of the American Romantic Period.
Civil Disobedience is an essay by Thoreau. In it, Thoreau argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that they have a duty to avoid allowing such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. Thoreau was motivated in part by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican-American War. Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi was impressed by Thoreau's arguments. American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was also influenced by this essay.
Walden and Civil Disobedience eBook Henry David Thoreau
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Walden and Civil Disobedience eBook Henry David Thoreau Reviews
It took me a while to warm up to this book, but after I did, I considered it a pleasant read each night before going to bed. Still, as it is considered an American classic, I was hoping for more. What that "more" is, I'm not quite sure. Perhaps clearer and more profound insights. Much of the time it reads like an agreeable diary with good (sometimes laborious) observations of the world he encountered at Walden Pond. I did enjoy his accounting of how much his cabin cost to build and the money he raised from growing crops. A very different world then.
One of my favorite books by Henry David Thoreau. The illustrations add to it nicely and the cover and binding seem well made. This book is excellent for anyone who loves the idea of escaping from society and finding yourself. It serves as a reminder that as modern society advances, we become almost less human, going about the motions rather than living and experiencing all that life and nature has to offer. Great book for any avid nature lover.
"To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem." Just one of my many of my favorite quotes from this book! Thoreau has to be one of the most complex and most insightful authors I have ever read. It took me a few months to finish, due to on and off reading and also trying to soak in the book as much as I could while reading it. Compared to most of us in today's rat race, Thoreau seemed, even back then, to have a great dislike for the hustle and bustle his townfolk were enveloped in, and sought refuge in a cabin of his construction near Walden Pond for about 2 years. He eagerly describes his surroundings and observations, from a seemingly epic battle between ants, to the different hues of colors he observes in Walden Pond throughout the seasons.
It was one of the most challenging reads of my life, but one book I am so glad to have read. Thoreau had a lot of wisdom for someone of his time. What threw me off at times were his references to things like ancient history when he discusses his narrative of whatever he happens to be talking about at that time, which seems kind of random at times. It can be fairly easy to get lost at times, but keep in mind, this was written in the mid 1800's. Sometimes, it felt like reading this book was a lengthy homework assignment. Even still, it was a pleasure to have read this masterpiece. I suggest giving this a read if you have the patience for a deep and enlightening read.
It was a wonderful experience to actually feel like I was there with Thoreau at Walden Pond. The way he studied and described simply living and the appreciation of nature fits right into my values. I loved having insight to a life that took place so many years ago through his eyes, and with his mind and heart. He expresses his beliefs about life and society so eloquently. At times he goes into great detail in his observations, but then masterfully makes a valid point that is truly inspiring. This is a book that really makes you think about the purpose of our existence in this world, our values, and how we should live.
Review of ANNOTATED EDITION, not of Thoreau's work. Potentially great idea. Many of the annotations were superficial or unnecessary, although others helpful. Biggest problem with this is the printer's layout, which has two careless oversights size and position on page. Two pages of text have been squeezed onto a single page (to allow the side-by-side commentary), resulting in tiny print. Tough on anyone over 40. Then, the printer left wide margins on the *outside* of the page, and squeezed Thoreau's text into the binding. Really foolish use of the available space.
The result is something that could have been fascinating being just plain awkward and unsatisfying to handle and read.
This little book has a big heart and is well worth reading on your . I have some printed versions, but recently had the opportunity to visit Walden pond (a state reservation) near Concord, MA, and loaded the version on my Fire as I could then read it without having my book suffer travel wear and tear. So I took the train from Boston, somewhere close to Harvard University, towards Concord, and spent the day walking the pathways surrounding the pond. I could read the book and search for matching descriptions of the pond area as described by Henry Thoreau. That was a lot of fun. The train line still runs on its original track, and you can imagine Henry listening to the whistle and seeing the smoke of the train. The park and pond is beautiful, and combined with the book and Henry Thoreau's stories, transfers one back in time to another world, a world that was both different and similar to the world that we know. There is a life-size model of Henry Thoreau's cabin (he lived in this cabin for 2 years and 2 months, and started construction late March 1845) in the parking lot across the road, and construction has started on a new visitors centre. Load this book on your and visit the pond...
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