Walden

And `Tis a shame that I cannot claim this is a re-read after 40 years or so. I can only cite the very well-worn cliché: Better late than never. Walden is a pond, just outside Concord, Massachusetts, and for two years in the mid-1840's Henry David Thoreau lived a largely solitary existence there, in a simple wooden cabin which he constructed. This book is a collection of his mediations on the natural world, and a person's place in it. Thoreau also ruminates on an individual's place in society and certainly demurs about the hurly-burly existence led by so many, or, in an expression that I had always attributed to T. S. Eliot, but was first coined by him: "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." The first third of the book is on "economy," and the house that he built near Walden. He describes his labor, and provides a table indicating the total cost, and compares that with the annual rental cost of housing. Similarly, he covers his food, clothing and fuel expenses (the "essentials"), and the underlying theme remains the subject verse, taken from a Shaker song, "Simple Gifts," written about the same time: if you simplify your life, and rid yourself of the bondage of so much self-imposed clutter, you really are much freer, and that includes having the opportunity to take a ramble in the woods, which was a major aspect of his two years at Walden. As Thoreau phrased it: "Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them." Or in another passage: "I also have in my mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all, who have accumulated dross, but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or silver fetters." Contrast that with the constant exhortations of our consumer society to "buy, buy, buy" and if we can only get the American consumer spending again, our "economy" will be OK. The beauty of Thoreau is an independent mind writing against the grain of conventional thought. Much of the latter portion of the book features his observation and outlook on the natural world around him. These observations range from the scientific to the poetic, with an emphasis on the latter, but he does not hesitate to make controlled measurements, like determining the true depth of the pond, which had previously been the subject of speculation. He describes how ice is harvested from the pond, and shipped to Boston for summer use, and is continually intrigued by the color of both the ice and the water in the pond. For those who are overwhelmed with "light pollution" and do not know what the phase of the moon is, Thoreau provides a suitable admonition: "It would be well, perhaps, if we were to spend more of our days and nights without any obstruction between us and the celestial bodies, if the poet did not speak so much from under a roof, or the saint dwell there so long. Birds do not sing in caves, nor do doves cherish their innocence in dovecots." There is much else as well. He describes the life of poverty of his nearest neighbor, an Irish family who are recent immigrants. He also observes a battle between red and black ants, and plays "hide and go seek" with a loon on the lake. He leans towards vegetarianism, but praises hunting, and considers it a vital rite of passage for any boy (and yes, it was so long ago, the other half were not even considered). Walden is not an easy read. In part it is due to the turgidity of Thoreau's prose style. There is also the aspect that portions of the book resemble the Desiderata poem that was plastered to so many bedroom walls in the 60's: a string of exhortation on the proper way to conduct one's life. The meaning of some of these aphorisms are quite understandable, for example: "While England endeavors to cure the potato-rot, will not any endeavor to cure the brain-rot, which prevails so much more widely and fatally"? But it would take some true assumptions and extrapolations, and they could be quite divergent, to squeeze the meaning from: "The volatile truth of our words should continually betray the inadequacy of the residual statement. Their truth is instantly translated; its literal monument alone remains. The words which express our faith and piety are not definite; yet they are significant and fragrant like frankincense to superior natures." I'd welcome reader comments as to what that really means. Walden was hardly a "commercial success" in Thoreau's lifetime, but its impact on numerous historical figures was significant. He was admired by the naturalists John Muir, Joseph Wood Krutch, Loren Eiseley, and David Brower. His companion volume, (On Civil Disobedience) influenced Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, as well as many others. It is a book to be read slowly, with some tolerance for his style, and the occasional still quirky observations. Walden remains a 5-star read, and is an essential book for everyone to read, at least once in their life, even if it is in the latter phases. Finally, proving that once again there are those unlikely connections that add the zest to life: each day I look 70 miles to the west, and enjoy the view of the mountain most commonly called Mt. Taylor, named after Zachary Taylor, the President of the United States who started the Mexican-American War, and is the reason this piece of earth that I inhabit is part of the USA. Henry David Thoreau practiced civil disobedience, and was briefly jailed for his failure to pay his taxes as a protest against that war.

First things first: if you are reading this review, it is probably because you are considering not just Walden, but Walden on audio. Does it work in that medium? Have no fear: not only does Walden not LOSE something by being read, it probably gains something from Mel Foster's excellent performance. My first experience with his reading was the production of William Bernstein's A Splendid Exchange , and it was disappointing -- flat and lifeless. But he did a fine job with James Kugel's How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now , and this is terrific, too; I'll assume the mediocre job with the Bernstein was the producer's fault. Now, to the book. So much has been written about it, both on Amazon and elsewhere, that there is little more to say. But I will say this: if you read it in college, or if, like me, you merely PRETENDED to read it in college, pick it up again later in life. It is worth reading, and studying, and savoring. Walden is thought of as the urtext of nature writing, particularly American nature writing, but that really understates the matter -- thus, my assessment of it as an "underrated" classic. It is really so much more: an essay on the nature and purpose of human existence, an exploration of human nature itself, and an example of how we can see the sacred in the mundane. Indeed, one could argue that Thoreau was not so much writing about nature, but using nature as a way of seeing the supernatural -- looking THROUGH nature to grasp the reality of the unseen. And forget any notion you may have had about Thoreau, the dreamer: this is actually a very practical man, who strives hard to show that what he is doing can be a model for what all people should do. Not that they should go live in a cabin, but rather that they can and should seek their own unique path of existence. (Thus, the different drummer). It is no accident that the first and longest chapter is entitled "Economy": Thoreau wants to demonstrate that following a different IS possible if we prepare ourselves. If he is not fully convincing that anyone can do anything they want and make it stick, he is, in my view, unanswerable in his assertion that we cannot and must not be satisfied with what we are given, or what tradition or even our own habits tell us what we "should" do. If for nothing else, Walden is must-reading for anyone, young or old, religious or atheist, American or citizen of any nation. Or even no nation.

"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.

Thoreau moved into the woods at Walden pond in Concord. However the book isnt about living in the woods. Its about stepping outside of "civilization" so that he could look at it objectively. From his perspective you see how much of the worlds misery is just stuff we bring on ourselves. like the following: " I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of." He goes on to explain how once we have the items we need to maintain them, improve them, and in the end we end up slaves to the things we own. He looks at how we spend every waking day storing up treasures to mold or rust in a treasure room. He then goes on to look into what work is actually needed to sustain our lives. Once he has discovered this, he is amazed at the mountains of free time he has left. He uses that time to get to know the wolrd that we live in. Sort of in a "Song of Myself" sort of way. In the end this book was an inspiration to me personaly, to leave the fast paced chase of the dollar for a more relaxed and less stressfull life style. Now I chase waves and try to help out in my community. I find that I have tons of free time, and I don't even feel guilty if I waste it lying on the beach. Its not the sort of book that you get in the first read through, you will find yourself at the office or in a meeting and suddenly a passage from the book will pop into your head and suddenly it will make sense. I know this review is a little touchy feely, but if you read this book, and understand its message. It is a key to a secret club where you realize that "Hand Scraped solid Manchurian Walnut Floors" are in the end just flooring. And the truth is that Artisan Tibetan vase that you bought for such a fortune will one day be sold at a garage sale for a couple of bucks. Its a book that looks at the silliness that we take so seriously. I highly recommend this book to anybody, but especialy if you are doing well but still not happy. Buy this book.

There is no doubt that this is a nice book, with slick pages and some nice photos. But after purchasing it, and trying to read it, I was confronted with several drawbacks that I didn't expect. I almost feel like Thoreau was speaking to me on some level, about issues he would have with it. Being familiar with his life - especially through Walden and biographies - he was never interested in flashiness, glitz, or style. He went for the basic and simple, in wardrobe, possessions, and values/priorities. He never connected with fancy items. So, in that sense, he wouldn't be wowed or excited about this version of his book. He might even be a bit annoyed at the graphics - which great as they are - are not his own, and do distract a bit from what really is his (the text). It's sort of like taking a famous painting, and someone adding their own pictures or drawings inside it. More importantly, the book isn't user-friendly as to highlighting and making notes in it. The slick pages make highlighting - especially with pencil - difficult to impossible. The "good old'" standard rough paper is much more conducive to that. Thoreau's writings are especially philosophical, and timeless and relevant to modern times. There are lots of key passages that will especially stand out to readers, that they will want to quickly refer back to, without having to reread the full book. It's a shame that the text can't be highlighted easily with this version, and ultimately makes it not very practical. By the way, Thoreau is known for making wise use of books, and writing lots of notes in the books of his own library. He knew of the importance of connecting with great books, and making the most of them for usefulness. I can almost see him looking at this and shaking his head. What would be great would be to have the pictures in a separate book, as a companion book to the "standard" versions of Walden. Then we could have the best of both worlds. This was an expensive lesson to learn. I guess the higher cost of this version is due to the pictures and glossiness. It also serves a reminder that "prettier" and "fancier" doesn't always equate to "better". Thoreau could smile and nod his head with approval at that realization. Additionally, the Foreward (by one Edward Wilson) is utterly ridiculous and off-base. He has the nerve to inaccurately state that in Thoreau's experience at Walden, he reached "no mystic vision, no transformative flash of light". HUH??? Walden is full of insights, both in nature and the spiritual realm, which he (and many readers) have seen as connected. Wilson also talks about "millions of years of evolution". Excuse me, but Thoreau never suggested a cold, godless world that formed on its own, without purpose and without a central creator. The foreward is 180 degrees opposed to Thoreau's thoughts and beliefs, and mars the book further; right from the start. Some reviewers have commented that this is a nice "coffee table book". Come to think of it, it does look like a typical coffee table book. Glossy, colorful cover, big square shape. Something you might pick up and glance through for a few minutes here or there. Nothing to spend much time on, or get into deeply. This is again is 180 degrees opposite what Thoreau wanted, and essentially makes a mockery of this deep book. Well, I guess while you're at it, you might as well use it as a placemat or a door stop. 5 stars for the timeless text, 2 stars for the format, so 3 overall average

Thoreau promotes individualism. He laughed at farmers and railroad workers. He stresses individual thinking, individual dignity, and individual values. He would suggest anyone get food by farming and fishing, and build their own houses to avoid rent. Being such a judgy person, he was nevertheless open to any chats and ideas. He talks to poets, philosophers that he liked, or farmers and workers that he didn't think worthy, or just random visitors of the forest he met. His judgments and openmindedness together make Walden a timeless masterpiece. Some might argue it was his accurate and vivid language that makes this work great, but you know, many writers come close in this measure, but few come close in terms of thoughts. I was more than surprised when reading the first chapter "Economy", where he proposed lots of calculations unconventional but viable. After the tense discussions in the first few chapters, Thoreau tilted his subject more to his life and the sceneries around Walden Pond. If you expect as many insights as the former chapters, it would be less fun to read, but there are still sentences to amaze you where you least expect it. I still recall the moment when I read him writing "not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves." I was in a low mood when reading it, and this sentence immediately comforted me: the best way to deal with failures is to face them head-on, to analyze them, and to learn from them, and Thoreau stated this fact in his poetic way. I am a judgemental but liberal person as Thoreau is, and I seldom find another book that's as agreeable and enjoyable as Walden is.

This is one of the most influential books in American history. I picked it up for the first time in thirty years only to realize that Throreau's philosophy had long ago permeated my being. I remember being blown away by my first reading more than half a century ago, but with each immersion new depths are achieved. Thoreau sought both authenticity and simplicity in his life. He never abandoned Concord and the real world but merely sought refuge at Walden to plumb the depths of his being. Serious introspection and brilliant writing show each of us the the way to our own core. Can we stand the examination? That is for each of us to determine. The Transcendentalists may never have been able to define their philosphy, but what remains of it more than a century after the movement's passing can be summed up in Thoreau's always upbeat outlook of "...if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet success unexpected in common hours." One cannot read Walden without gaining confidence in one's ability to change direction in life and optimism about the future. We do not have to live lives of conformity and quiet desparation. "In the long run men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high." There has never been a book that better expresses American optimism, and there is no reason for us to lose confidence now. Simplify and be as close to authentic as you can be and all will turn out well. Oh, and while you're at it question authority. If there could be a six star book, this would be my candidate.

The same review applies to the Emerson book I ordered - I’ve only replaced Emerson’s name with Thoreau’s but very same issue stands. My grievance rests not with the seller (prompt, attentive and worthy of much praise), but with the content of the book provided. It is extremely disturbing that works like Thoreau’s can be so desecrated by those who deem that their opinion befits everyone’s opinion, and therefore have taken it upon themselves to straight-jacket works like Thoreau’s into ‘tolerable’ editions. You will not find any publishing information (ie: name of publisher, address, date printed, etc.) typically found in the first pages of great works and otherwise, but will be warned instead that: ‘This work is a product of its time and place and may include values, images, events and language that are [not may be] offensive to modern sensibilities. Reader discretion is advised.’ The utter outrage. They took staid work written centuries before, by Thoreau no less, edited it to their liking and then warn us that we are to expect not only their interpretation of it, but to assume the punctuated fact that we are to be offended, rather than be coherent enough to process our own perceptions of what we are reading. And if you dare inquire the identity of the establishment responsible for such outrage, you will be surprised to learn that they don’t readily tell you. Not in the long practiced and civilized understanding that it belongs to the first pages of any publication, and you will not find it in the back pages either. I do not typically write reviews but this particular book warrants one as did the Emerson one, if only to rid myself of the ‘injury’ that their ‘offensive’ gesture has inflicted on our collective common sensibilities (not just modern ones) by saying something about it (reader discretion advised as it is based on my own opinion). What on Earth are we left with when published works of any kind are mere editorials by those who are crippled with self-absorbed lunacy of speaking for and to us this way? Seller, please ditch these kinds of publications and opt to offer proper and unedited versions of great works. My hunt is on again. I will keep this book as a ‘product of its time’, but will look for Thoreau’s “Walden” in its truest form at last.

Book larger than expected Very large print Very hard to read his written word

La edición es más grande de lo que esperaba. Estoy muy contento con el diseño y la legibilidad de la misma sin embargo. Buen soporte para este magnífico libro de Thoreau.

La verdad esta colección de libros es genial, es el quinto que adquiero. Tiene tamaño Perfecto, ni grande ni pequeño, la letra es ideal y el que diga que es ‘muy pequeña’ debe usar lentes con urgencia porque es muy reader friendly

Malgré les commentaires sur le produit, je trouve que le livre est bien imprimé et que c'est agréable à lire. C'est un classique de la littérature américaine qui donne plein de voies de réflexion sur notre mode de vie aujourd'hui. Un must read comme on dit.

waste of time