Henry David Thoreau: A Life

Henry David Thoreau was a naturalist, inventor, manual laborer, political activist, and member of the intellectual circle centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson. Laura Dassow Walls' biography "Walden" restores him to us in all his profound, inspiring complexity, tracing the full arc of his life from his early days in Concord to his death in 1862. Walls presents a Thoreau vigorously alive in all his quirks and contradictions, including his belief in human freedom and the value of labor, his abolitionist beliefs, his solitary walker who found society in nature, and his passionate naturalist who saw tragedy for future generations in the human heedlessness around him.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 640 pages
Publication date: 22 September 2018
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

“Walden. Yesterday I came here to live.” That entry from the journal of Henry David Thoreau, and the intellectual journey it began, would by themselves be enough to place Thoreau in the American pantheon. His attempt to “live deliberately” in a small woods at the edge of his hometown of Concord has been a touchstone for individualists and seekers since the publication of Walden in 1854. But there was much more to Thoreau than his brief experiment in living at Walden Pond. A member of the vibrant intellectual circle centered on his neighbor Ralph Waldo Emerson, he was also an ardent naturalist, a manual laborer and inventor, a radical political activist, and more. Many books have taken up various aspects of Thoreau's character and achievements, but, as Laura Dassow Walls writes, “Thoreau has never been captured between covers; he was too quixotic, mischievous, many-sided.” Two hundred years after his birth, and two generations after the last full-scale biography, Walls restores Henry David Thoreau to us in all his profound, inspiring complexity. Walls traces the full arc of Thoreau's life, from his early days in the intellectual hothouse of Concord, when the American experiment still felt fresh and precarious, and “America was a family affair, earned by one generation and about to pass to the next.” By the time he died in 1862, at only forty-four years of age, Thoreau had witnessed the transformation of his world from a community of farmers and artisans into a bustling, interconnected commercial nation. What did that portend for the contemplative individual and abundant, wild nature that Thoreau celebrated? Drawing on Thoreau's copious writings, published and unpublished, Walls presents a Thoreau vigorously alive in all his quirks and contradictions: the young man shattered by the sudden death of his beloved brother, the transcendentalist who became a practical man of the world, the solitary wanderer who found community in the woods, the poet who struggled to make a living, the political radical who was disillusioned by the Civil War, the naturalist who witnessed the devastation of the Industrial Revolution, the philosopher who pondered the meaning of life and the universe, the man who sought simplicity and solitude but found complexity and connection, the visionary who saw the potential for a new way of living in harmony with nature, the humanist who believed in the power of human creativity and compassion, the social critic who saw the flaws and limitations of society, the environmentalist who recognized the interconnectedness of all life, the pacifist who advocated for nonviolence, the traveler who explored the world and encountered diverse cultures, the artist who captured the beauty of nature in his writings and paintings, the teacher who inspired generations of students with his wisdom and insight, the mentor who guided others toward a deeper understanding of themselves and the world, the friend who supported and encouraged others in their pursuits, the father who raised his children with love and guidance, the husband who loved his wife deeply and supported her in all her endeavors, the brother who stood by his sibling through thick and thin, the son who honored his father's legacy and carried on his spirit, the ancestor who left a lasting impact on his family and community, the legend who has become a symbol of independence, self-reliance, and the pursuit of a meaningful life.

In conclusion, Henry David Thoreau was a remarkable individual who left an indelible mark on American culture and society. His life and work continue to inspire and challenge us today, two hundred years after his birth. Through his writings, observations, and actions, Thoreau demonstrated the power of human creativity, compassion, and connection with nature. He showed us that we can live a meaningful life by simplifying our desires, connecting with others, and respecting the natural world. As we face the challenges of our modern world, we can learn from Thoreau's example and strive to create a more sustainable, equitable, and fulfilling future for ourselves and future generations.

Weight: 936g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 43 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226599373