Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
When Emerson died in 1882 he was the most famous public intellectual in America. Yet his most remarkable literary creation-his journals- remained unpublished. Begun when he was a precocious Harvard junior of 16 and continued without significant lapse for almost 60 years, Emerson's journals were his life's work. They were the starting point for virtually everything in his celebrated essays, lectures, and poems; a "Savings Bank," in which his occasional insights began to cohere and yield interest; a commonplace book, in which he gathered the choicest anecdotes, ideas, and phrases from his voracious and wide-ranging reading; and a fascinating diary in the ordinary sense of the term. It would be a hundred years after his death before these intimate records would appear in print in their entirety, and they are still, at over three million words, among the least known and least available of Emerson's writings. The journals reveal what Emerson called "the infinitude of the private man"-by turns whimsical, incisive, passionate, curious, and candid-in astonishing new ways.

With Selected Journals 1841-1877 and its companion volume Selected Journals 1820-1842, The Library of America presents the most ample and comprehensive nonspecialist edition of Emerson's great work ever published-one that retains the original order in which he composed his thoughts and preserves the dramatic range of his unique style in long, uninterrupted passages, but without the daunting critical apparatus of the 16-volume scholarly edition.

This volume opens with an Emerson at the height of his powers, soon to write his celebrated essays "Experience" and "Self-Reliance," and in the midst of a vibrant intellectual circle. It follows his anguished reactions to the nation's intensifying political turmoil: his anger at the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, his antislavery activism, and his day- to-day experience of the Civil War (including a wartime trip to Washington, D.C., where he met President Lincoln). Along the way, he laments untimely losses: his first-born son Waldo at the age of five, and his friends Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller. By the end of his life, Emerson was a revered national figure; the volume includes his final journal writings.

Edited by Lawrence Rosenwald-Anne Pierce Rogers Professor of American Literature at Wellesley College and author of Emerson and the Art of the Diary-each volume includes a 16-page portfolio of images of Emerson and his contemporaries, a note on the selections, extensive notes, biographical sketches, a chronology, and an index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very nicely done
This whole series is very nicely done! I purchased the 3 Steinbeck books for myself and the 4 Emerson books for my girlfriend.

The presentation is very nice, the binding, the bookkmark ribbon, the print and paper quality. I'm an iPad/Kindle guy but it's nice to hold a real book of quality once in a while.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Selected Journals 1841-1877
In //Ralph Waldo Emerson: Selected Journals 1841-1877) //, the Library of America presents the selected journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson--the 19th century American poet, essayist, and philosopher. Emerson, a transcendentalist, examines societal rules. This individualist exposes the hypocrisy of religion, in his journal of 1841 called Sunday.He writes, "...church members are scorpions, too religious to do their duties and full of wrath & horror...."

Emerson was not willing to lose himself--even if it meant he belonged to the Devil. According to him, a man must be a non-conformist to be a man.He laments in Self-Reliance that imitation is suicide and that he must take himself for better or for worse.In Experience, the intellectual writes grieving in itself is shallow.He makes numerous and poignant points in all of his essays. This is a phenomenal book that every thinking person will appreciate. "Infancy conforms to nobody....one babe commonly makes four of five out of the adults who prattle and play to it."

Reviewed by Vivian Dixon Sober ... Read more

Product Description
The book may have numerous typos or missing text. It is not illustrated or indexed. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website. You can also preview the book there.Purchasers are also entitled to a trial membership in the publisher's book club where they can select from more than a million books for free.Volume: 1 Original Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin and Co. Publication date: 1883Subjects: Biography; Philosophy of nature; Drama / Shakespeare; Humor / Form / Essays; Literary Collections / Essays; Literary Criticism / American / General; Literary Criticism / European / French; Literary Criticism / European / German; Literary Criticism / Shakespeare; Philosophy / History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Pre-Inflation
These days, celebrity authors earn thousands of dollars for a speech, but back in the 1880s, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the first American author known to receive payment for delivering a talk, was paid $5 and oats for his horse. ... Read more

Product Description
“Richard Geldard has written a magnificent book through which Emerson’s teaching becomes again an instigator. Is Geldard the last of Emerson’s great disciples—or the first of a new generation? This book deserves to be widely read; it contains our own best thoughts” (Roger Lipsey, editor and biographer of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, author of "An Art of Our Own: The Spiritual in Twentieth-Century Art").

“Through Geldard’s book, Emerson shows a new generation of Americans that it is possible and necessary to bring to the spiritual search an open heart joined to a critical mind” (Jacob Needleman, author of "The Heart of Philosophy").

No one who has felt the life-changing pull of Emerson’s enormous planetary mind has ever doubted his power or his greatness, though we are often puzzled to know whether he is primarily a poet, an essayist or a philosopher. Richard Geldard is not puzzled at all by this; he has written a book that plainly shows the essential Emerson to be a teacher, the Socrates of Concord, a man with a message that we need to hear today. Previous generations “beheld God and nature face to face,” Emerson says, and he adds, provocatively, that we moderns seem able only to see those things through the eyes of the earlier generations. “Why,” he asks — and the question is intended to shatter our complacency — “Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs?”

Emerson’s life was devoted to showing how one may still attain an original, that is to say, an authentic, relation to the universe, and Geldard’s book aims to focus and distill the famously dispersed Emerson and put his central teachings into the modern reader’s hand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

An outstanding review of Emerson
If you want to read any book about Emerson, this is the one you should read.Geldard does an exceptional job of not only describing and discussing Emerson's work, but he is able to dig deeply into some of Emerson's more esoteric and poetic philosophy and point out some of the highlights in terms that are real and understandable.

Exactly what I was hoping for
Looking for the "complete works" of Emerson, I stumbled across this title at Amazon and read the reviews.I decided it would be a good guide to the reading of Emerson himself, and it was a good choice for that purpose.In addition to ten essays on some of Emerson's key writings, the Geldard book has an excellent glossary of terms, a short and intriguing bibliography (for further exploration), and a helpful index. I will be using it as a companion book to "The Essential Writings," which I bought at the same time.

Not What I Expected
I was looking for a collection of Emerson's spiritual writings. This is more of the author talking about Emerson's spiritual writings. Not what I was looking for.

What an inspiration
Emmerson can be difficult to read in his original text, so I really appreciated Geldard breaking it down for me in a style that sort of translates Emmersons style for me.After reading this I now can read Emmerson on my own and get much more out of it.

Emmerson is truely one of my heros and I am grateful for this book to bring even more of his philospy to me and those I share it with!

"Some Books Make Us Free"- Ralph Waldo Emerson
I was first introduced to Ralph Waldo Emerson in High School. I was a bored and frustrated teenager who really had no idea what life was about...show me a teenager who does? But I had a really great English teacher who tossed a copy of RWE's essays on my desk. She said with a rather droll smile, "You might find something of interest in here..."

And when I first started reading these essays, I was bewildered why this woman thought I might enjoy this kind of stuff. It was awkward and difficult and my mind repeatedly got tripped up to what he was trying to get across. And then in the midst of all this confusion, something profound would stick out. He'd say something like:

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen." and I would have to stop and think about that. I would have no other choice but to come to the clear realization that all that I saw had to have come from all that I could not see.

With each and every essay, I could feel my heart and my mind coming together as One. I could feel my soul leaping with joy over the profound Truths that I would continually stumble across:

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

"Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature. Everything is made of one hidden stuff..."

"People only see what they are prepared to see..."

I never read anything like Emerson in my whole life. He was on a wavelength that I wanted so much to be on. At the end of the year, I placed that copy of Emerson's essays on my teacher's desk and she looked up at me and said, "No, John...it's for you."

I just remember thinking that I never received a greater gift and even though I had yet to make the leap from reading inspirational stuff, to embodying it, the foundation work was being laid down and when I finally became aware that I was truly on a Spiritual path and that I have always been on one, I thought of that morning in 1982 when Emerson's essays were tossed on my desk.

This is a great read for those who are familiar with Emerson and for those who are not. I have a friend that insists that Emerson is good for "cute one liners..." But he underestimates Emerson's power to literally take the reader on a journey of transcendence. Even though I didn't fully understand what I was reading when I was a teen, I knew that after I was through reading him I was in a better place if even if for a little while.

And that is how I exxplain Spiritual Growth to people. People want growth to come fully orbed and they don't want to engage in the seemingly mundane aspect of cultivating their spirituality. But I tell them that spiritual growth comes glimpse by glimpse by precious glimpse. And yes, there are breaks in between the glimpses, but even the breaks can contain glimpses of Light in them if you are willing to look at it right.

Emerson said that we become what we think about all day long. What are you thinking about right now because I've got news for you, you will manifest what you are predominantly thinking about so take a deep breath in...and take a deep breath out...affirm that you are a center of good and that only good can come to you and only good can come through you...feel this, affirm this throughout the day, be expectant of this good to rush in at your slightest invitation and good will come into your life because it has to. You've decreed it and so now it must be.

I don't know what I was thinking that day when I was blessed enough to meet Ralph waldo Emerson for the first time, but that dear, sweet teacher (who has long since made her passing) saw something in me and knew I was ready for a deeper understanding of life.

Here's knowing that you are, too.

Peace and Blessings,
john, "the Light Coach"

... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
"A guided anthology that takes the reader through Emerson"s own spiritual evolution."
—Robert D. Richardson, Jr., author of Emerson: The Mind on Fire

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) is known best in the twenty-first century as a literary innovator and early architect of American intellectual culture, but his writings still offer spiritual sustenance to the thoughtful reader. The Spiritual Emerson, originally published on the two hundredth anniversary of the writer"s birth, brings together the writings that articulate Emerson"s spiritual vision and promise the greatest relevance to today"s reader.

"It is a great service of this book that it traces [Emerson"s] spiritual development . . . [It] is also valuable in establishing the full texture and subtlety of Emerson"s much-misunderstood notion of self-reliance and nonconformity."
—Richard Higgins, Boston Globe

"This collection brings together for the first time Emerson"s most important writings on spiritual themes, along with a discerning and eminently readable introduction by one of the foremost authorities on Emerson"s religious thought."
—Lawrence Buell, Harvard University, author of Literary Transcendentalism and Emerson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A New Light
David Robinson, once again, has shown through this superb selection of Emerson's essays the spiritual/religious underpinnings of America's premier Romantic. ... Read more

Product Description
A finely honed abridgement of Emerson's principal essays with an introduction that clarifies the essence of Emerson's ideas and establishes their relevance to our own troubled era. This is the first truly accessible edition of Emerson's work, revealing him to be one of America's wisest teachers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Self reliance; the wisdom of Emerson
Didn't realize this was written by someone other than Emerson.I wanted his writings, not somebody else's interpretation of them.

he saved my life
when i was in college, RWE literally saved my life.when i thought i was crazy for the ideas swimming around in my head, he showed me i was just connected into something greater than just my immediate surroundings.now that i am 45 years old, it was nice to reconnect with the words that changed my outlook on the world.this book was like sitting down and having conversations with an old friend.the book is broken into 1/2-page and 1-page chunks.it is very easy to grab the book, spend 10 or 20 minutes, and reenter this crazy world with a fresh and enlightened face.keep it in your car, your purse, your briefcase, your backpack, or next to your bed.you'll reach for it often.

Little Warning about Having Just Excerpts
I note one of the descriptions provided by Amazon reviews mentions something like "[By providing just the most inspiring passages from each essay, the author makes Emerson more accessible and inspiring to the reader." Emerson is often quoted as he did come with some beautiful language.But, to really judge Emerson, I think it is crucial to read, for example, the entire essay "Self-Reliance" and "Love".These essays are short, and quite passionately written.Amazingly, Emerson's "Transcendentalism" is exactly the same as "The Secret" and the Law of Attraction, and also Carl Jung's concepts of Universal Spirit / Collective Consciousness.The problem is that Emerson's views expressed in essays such as "Self Reliance" and "Love" are incredibly inconsistent, and they are greatly inconsistent, over and over again, when compared to other famous speeches he gave such as "The Nature of Man", I believe.Emerson is famous for having written, in "Self Reliance", "Inconsistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.", in other words, don't be afraid to be inconsistent as that is what "Great Men", as he calls them, must do.Many people glorify this aspect of Emerson as meaning he provides us with paradoxes.For you to judge his value as a spiritual or life guidepost, you just cannot rely only on excerpts; which, probably have been selected because they are beautifully written but, by only selecting certain excerpts, this author can avoid revealing Emerson's fatal inconsistencies.Emerson's inconsistent views seem to come from insecure, egotist who simply has a need to always be provocative (scholarly reviewers all point to the fact that Emerson was, indeed, greatly insecure due to his failures as both a Harvard professor and a Unitarian minister, as well as in his very unhappy marriage.These scholars say that he had no choice but to retreat into the wilds because he had no way to make a living!Emerson's views are also just wrong.For example, just like all these New Thought movements, he dismisses rational thought as worthless and destructive to your decisions and actions.He falsely romanticizes the, according to Emerson, impulsive, non-rational thinking patters of "laborers"; "youths" "[who act quickly and taking no need of any other or any societal norm"]; and of primitive and aboriginal peoples, who somehow (just as Jung believed) were all so in touch with the Universal Spirit that they were wise enough to act quickly just on pure instinct.Each person is divine.Each person can tap into the Universal Mind, and when you do, any thought, emotion, or feeling because it comes both from God, who lives inside each of us and from the divine Universal Spirit.This is exactly what "The Secret" / Law of Attraction teach.In my opinion, it is a very dangerous fact that so many intelligent, college graduates, guided by Oprah, are so fully committed to such anti-intellectual, anti-rational thought movements.While these thinking views all have some good ideas similar to "The Power of Positive Thinking"; they, also, absurdly all claim to be "scientifically proven" based on the mysterious, strange movements made by electrons in quantum mechanics physics.What non of them tell you is that the mathematical equations describing the behavior of electrons in quantum mechanics, ONLY applies to extremely tiny particles such as a single electron or, possibly, an atom.They have no effect on the matter that we live with such as toaster ovens, trees, human beings, mountains, etc.You can not prove that you can "attract" or "manifest" a Rolls Royce, which is the example they all use, by using the laws of quantum mechanics physics.This disturbs me greatly because, again, it is so ant-intellectual.The fact that so many educated people fall for this "scientific" nonsense just because they watch one or two sell-out charlatan physicists claims that the Law of Attraction has been "scientifically proven", makes me realize why, as one example, we seem to have no hope getting people to accept the true dangers facing human civilization, over the next 100 years or so, by global warming.No one who does not believe in global warming will change their behaviors if they refuse to do any simple basic research and make an informed independent judgement.
Read the whole of a few of Emerson's essay's and be prepared to enjoy his language but to need to study them carefully and flip the pages back and forth as you see his inconsistencies.Then, you can, I think, make a fair judgement on his true worth you you and to society as a spiritual or philosophy of life guidepost!Whether you come out with me or come to the opposite conclusion, you will enjoy reading the often beautiful language used by Emerson.Have fun with it!I would enjoy reading any and all Replies, of any opinion, to any or all portions of this lengthy comment.Thanks!

Awesome
So dude, I was totally blown away by this book. Emerson was like some sort of genious, I mean, like up to now I always felt trapped and unable to cope and stuff but now I feel like I can do anything. Or as Emerson would say, "Actuate to the fullest" Right on! I mean now I could go live in the woods on acorns and stuff and be fine because I have self-reliance. I read this book in my class called English in high-school and we were studying a group called the Trancalendarists or something and apparently Emerson was one of them and he wrote this to show how cool it was. Well I'm a believer too baby. So read this book it will change your life for thebetter. I guess Emerson summed up endings the best so I'll leave you with his memorable statement, "In the netherworld of indecidabilty, there is but one truth, and this truth is the incorrigible falseness of truth people. Ignore them all" Take it to the bank and stay cool, friends.

I should have remained illiterate
I just finished reading Self-Reliance by Emerson. It was subjected to me by my overly-enthusiastic english teacher who thought that the transcendental movement was best described via his retarded words. Well, it wasn't. It sucked. A lot. Bravo, Mr. Emerson. Yeah, I know that he thought he was changing the world when he wrote it, and that he KNEW his work was supposed to be revolutionary, yet, here we are; embittered and angry, seeking revenge. You know, it's times like these when I wish that I was illiterate. While reading this 26 page drivel, my incredibly bored and irritated brain decided to give me visions of thrusting thorns into my eyes so I could stop reading. For any of you who have to read this, please do so, I mean after all, if i had to you have to. Sincerely, Laphroaig ... Read more

Product Description
This concise volume collects the core writings that have made Ralph Waldo Emerson into a key source of insight for spiritual seekers of every faith—with an introduction by the bestselling philosopher Jacob Needleman.

Here is the essential collection of Emerson’s spiritual thought for those readers who understand the transformative quality of ideas. It is concise and suited to years of rereading and contemplation, offering the essays that trace the arc of the inner message brought by America’s “Yankee Mystic.”

The Spiritual Emerson features many of Emerson’s landmark works. Yet also included are overlooked classics, such as the essays “Fate” and “Success,” which served as major sources of inspiration to some of the leading American metaphysical thinkers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The introduction by religious scholar and philosopher Jacob Needleman frames—historically and philosophically—the development of Emerson’s thought and explores why it has such a powerful hold on us today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must Read For Our Times
I purchased this book because Jacob Needleman had written the foreword. However, after reading it, I think it is an important to be read at this time. The first section, Self-Reliance, is worth the price alone. Emerson points out the need for each of us to rely not on government or others for our needs, but through ourselves first by finding our inner self and using it to go forward. After you rely on yourself alone, you can then help others and let them help you when necessary. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Cheated
Granted I only paid 95 cents for this, but it does NOT have an active table of contents as advertised.And who can I complain to?

On further investigation, there is an active table of contents of sorts, but you can't actually, on my iPod at least, go directly to it.You have to click on "Beginning," which will take you to the first page of the book and then hit the icon that takes you back until you get to the table of contents, which is of course before the "beginning" of the book or the first page of the first text.Very cumbersome.Please fix this. When you DO get to the table of contents, you can click on an item and it will take you there, but then to get back to the table of contents you have to do what I described above.

Powerful.
The Lavish Cheapskate-- Everyday Strategies to Free up Money and Recession-proof Your Life!

Once reading Emerson, you are launched into a new realm of intensely deep writing. This man's insights broaden the mind.

Hollywood Florida Center gives " 5 thumbs up to Emerson"
Read one of the greatest minds of his time.It is said that a few from every generation discovers Emerson.

I have been reading and teaching his philosophy for over 20 years.Read it aloud to yourself and allow your self to walk along with one of the greatest spirits we've ever known.I remember reading him in college and not getting it entirely but now I take the time to savor the wisdom on each page.No matter if you are reading in his Essay on Compensation or spiritual laws you will be impressed that he was speaking with equisite intelligence about laws and ideas that the world is only now coming to embrace. ( I hear his words spoken through Louise Hay "You can heal your life" E Tolle, The Secret, Ernest Holmes's Science of Mind and the Filmores of Unity. If you take the time to savor the essay on "History" you will hear a man describe the evolution of conciousness, the awakening of mankind.Sure he wrote during another time and its a little work. Theres so much good here, It is worth ALL the effort. Join a study group and read it aloud.. It is a gift to yourself! Namaste! Rev Greg Hollywood Florida Center for Positive and Spiritual Living

From self-reliance to the Over-Soul: the "unabridged Quotable Emerson"
An amalgamation of two books published in 1841 and 1844, the 21 pieces known as "Essays: First and Second Series" describe Emerson's concepts of self-reliance, the law of compensation (a sort of yin-yang polarity in morality), and the transcendental Over-Soul, an ideal Emerson first enunciated (without naming it as such) in his infamous Divinity School Address, for which he was accused of atheism. "The world is not the product of manifold power, but of one will, of one mind; and that one mind is everywhere active," he said to Harvard's startled divinity students and teachers. "All things proceed out of the same spirit." In these essays, he expands upon this notion of the individual Self as part of a universal All, of the human soul bound by a physical body yet tethered to an omniscient spirit.

Emerson's metaphysics alternates among a quasi-pantheistic belief in the unity of humanity, nature, and God; a monistic view that All is One; a mystical channeling of universal truths; and an anthropocentric faith in the primacy of human experience. Through reflection and meditation, humans can experience God. "Ineffable is the union of man and God in every act of the soul," he writes in the essay titled "The Over-Soul." "The simplest person who in his integrity worships God, becomes God."

The form of Emerson's "essays" displays his training as a preacher, and his lectures served as rough drafts; but, although they read like sermons, they are more like prose poems, heavily indebted to Plutarch, Plotinus, and Montaigne. In addition to "Self-Reliance" and "The Over-Soul," the most important of these essays are probably "History," "Compensation," and "The Poet." Anecdotes, evidence, and "scientific" observation play a minor role in his writing, and transitional devices are sparse; his essays are built instead of argument by aphorism, chains of clever and commonsensical quips, and contemplative reflection in a nearly conversational style. (A friend of mine once joked, perceptively, that the Quotable Emerson would be pretty much the same as the unabridged version of the book you have here.)

Emerson's idealism and romanticism can seem hopelessly abstract--a failing that carried over into his personal relations. (Responding to his discussion on "Friendship," Caroline Sturgis wrote to him, "With all your faith in Man, you have but little faith in men.") The ambiguities of his writing and their myriad interpretations have provided the foundations for disparate schools of thought. On the one hand, his philosophic arguments and literary characteristics anticipate Walt Whitman's ode to the self, Nietzsche's "ubermensch," Williams James's "stream-of-consciousness," Dewey's instrumentalism, and Jung's concept of the universal unconscious or racial memory. On the other hand, there is a direct descent from the sermonizing, inspirational quality of Emerson's works to various strands of New Thought spiritualism, the motivational guides of Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie, and the ongoing popularity of books by self-help gurus. (Indeed, one could argue that Emerson's books established the genre in America.)

It is impossible, then, to overstate Emerson's influence on subsequent literature and thought, both highbrow and mass-market. Many (perhaps most) of today's readers might be turned off by the abstract Neo-Platonism of Emerson's work, and his seemingly endless stream of metaphors and maxims can be, at times, somnambulistic. (I personally find his philosophy completely alien to my own worldview.) But even so, Emerson should be read in order to understand both the phenomenon of New England transcendentalism, which may well be the only uniquely American philosophy of the nineteenth century, and the rise of individualism, which donned a uniquely American character during the twentieth.

Transcendent
A great book, lifechanging even. I had read Throueau's Walden right before moving into Emerson and I highly reccomend reading both books, in whatever order you please. I started underlining and highlighting passages I like and by the thrid essay I realized I had no use for my pen anymore as I found even sentance to be a jewel.
A must read for those of all ages and in all walks of life. Emerson will bring universality of the human experince into greater focus, promoting an understanding that regardless of first impressions, people have much more in common than initially percieved. ... Read more

Product Description
Though written in the mid-nineteenth century, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s work, particularly his nature writing, speaks to contemporary sensibilities. The uniquely American, nature-based philosophy commonly attributed to Thoreau was first presented to the world by Emerson in his slender volume Nature and later developed by both men, each with his own distinct voice. Emerson’s take on wild nature was richer and more complex than Thoreau’s, largely due to the influence of Darwinism and Emerson’s propensity for delving deeply into the most difficult philosophical matters.

Featuring nearly 100 luminous watercolor illustrations, The Laws of Nature collects Emerson’s most evocative thoughts on nature, taken from his journals and his books. His famously aphoristic style—“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered”—is showcased throughout. Editor Walt McLaughlin provides background information on Emerson and explores the writer’s relationship with Thoreau as well as the powerful influence they exerted on one another. McLaughlin describes Emerson’s transformation from minister to passionate nature writer and includes a thoughtful introduction to each section of the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Emerson once wrote that the times we are born in are the best of times, if only we know what to do with them. His life spanned the crucial years of the nation's youth-the first tests of its shop-new Constitution; the explosive expansion into the untamed West; the great conflagration of the Civil War and the destruction of slavery; and the pains of rebirth and reconciliation that carried the United States to the eve of emerging as a world power. In the midst of this swirl of upheaval and change, Emerson turned his attention inward to the citizen, the individual, who must find his or her own inmost truth and bring that one fact of being to perfect expression in the world-must learn to believe the faintest presentiment of the self against the testimony of all history. As a lecturer and essayist, Emerson was a catalyst who sought through his daily work to wake the long-slumbering soul of the farmer, mechanic, businessman, politician-to show the common person that the divine and extraordinary are present in every hour of the day. His efforts triggered a cultural tidal wave, inspiring a generation of authors, poets, teachers, and social activists who built the very foundations of culture in America. This biography takes a fresh look at Emerson through his Journals to trace the story of his own self-development, and the hidden life's work that makes him as relevant to our time as to his own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Fresh Look at Raph Waldo Emerson
This new biography emphasizes Emerson's devotion to developing his own soul life. Maurice York has keen interest and insight concerning Emerson's inner life. Emerson tended toscold himself--for being aloof, for being unable to grieve enough for the death of his little son, for falling short of being able to say in words what he knew in his heart.
In addition to that kind of attractive insecurity, Emerson also had a lifelong love, even worship, of the "iron string" of individuality in each human being. This individual self that each and all of us have needs strengthening so that it believes in its own grand potential; and it needs development so that its potential can mature from mere existence to social participation and psycho-spiritual insight. In York's biography of Emerson's long, wise life, the deep reverence and capacity for mystery in his writing, thinking, and daily living glow with an inspiring light. You come away from York's book filled with admiration for Emerson's "infinitude"--his talent for recognizing the divinity in all humans, including himself.
York shows us an Emerson who met the challenges of a self-reliant and socially engaged life and at the same time developed deep understanding of the mysteries of individuality with honesty, courage, and a highly active consciousness. Especially in his awareness that the spiritual dimensions of life need to be cultivated, Emerson was as much a man of our current times as he was of the 19th century in which he lived. York celebrates that fact in his appreciative, engaging book and makes his readers see its importance and relevance for our own lives.

RW Emerson Book Review
I was pleased to discover a new book about Ralph Waldo Emerson.I've admired the transcendentalists for a long time.

The book was filled with information. I had not known that he was an ardent abolitionist.

I'm very glad York and Spaulding wrote this book.I've learned many new things.

Betty Jean Oldfield
River Forest, IL

A wonderful read for Emerson scholars and the educated in general !!
For someone having limited exposure to one of the best known essayists, poets, and popular philosophers I enjoyed reading and learning about one of the greatest lecturers and authors of the past hundred years.This book is very well researched by the authors, and I was fascinated by one of the most famous people of our times and his thoughts and actions.I wasn't sure of what to expect when I began reading the book, but became most interested in his philosophies. From the most highly educated, to the person with an average education, each of us can't help but come away with a mountain of useful information for everyday life in modern times.I will continue to consult with this "great work" and perhaps even look further.Try it, you will enjoy it, and learn,too !! ... Read more

Product Description
Nature and Other Writings, written by legendary author Ralph Waldo Emerson , is widely considered to be one of the greatest classic texts of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Nature and Other Writings is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Ralph Waldo Emersonis highly recommended. Published by Classic Books International and beautifully produced, Nature and Other Writings would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful
This was a good introduction to emerson.It's a small book, and far from a complete collection of his works, but it includes some of his most famous and moving essays as well as a few of his poems.This was my first reading of emerson, and at first, I didn't care too much for him.But after reading it a second time, I understood more clearly his message, and it began to grow on me.In fact, I've since purchased a complete collection of his writings as this book left me hungry for more.Even though this other book contains everything this book has, plus more, I am still glad I bought this book.It's nice to have a little pocket sized collection of his greatest hits.

"The young man reveres men of genius, because, to speak truly, they are more himself than he is.They receive of the soul as he also receives, but they more."

My Novel Review
An exquisite pocket sized edition.Emerson, as always, will stun you with his prose style rhetoric."I am God in nature; I am a weed by the wall."

Nature and Other Writings
Emerson is a genious.His words in this small edition are just as sweet and easily accessable.It is handy to have a small version to keep close at all times.Everytime I look at the night sky I think of a quote of Emerson, "But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile."That alone is a reason to own the work of Emerson. ... Read more

Product Description
This first collection of Emerson's essays has influenced a host of thinkers and intellectuals since its first appearance in 1841.'Self-Reliance' is undoubtedly the collection's most famous essay, a piece in which Emerson argues that one must put a wholehearted trust in the power of one's own intuition, and not hold to orthodox opinions merely because the mass of people believe them to be true.But the prestige surrounding this work has tended to obscure the breadth of Emerson's vision: in the twelve essays in 'Series One' he invites us to consider a wide range of topics, from the true nature of'Friendship', 'Heroism' and 'Love', to the high-flown philosophy of 'Spiritual Laws' and 'The Over-Soul'. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Great book for the price.
If you are curious about Emerson and want to get a good idea of what the man has to say on various topics this is a good low-cost investment.

Great Collection, Incredible Price
Ralph Waldo Emerson is America's greatest essayist and one of its greatest orators. To call him an essayist indeed sells him rather short and is very misleading. Most think of essays as interminable, dry, and academic, full of jargon, polysyllables, and other esoterica making them near-inaccessible to general readers. Emerson is very different. His writing is vibrant and vital, making subjects come alive in a way that is as accessible as it is thought-provoking. He writes about general topics - self-reliance, history, love, friendship - of fundamental importance to humanity but is never pretentious, portentous, or arcane; his writing is indeed so strong and lively that it can be read as literature - or even entertainment. Emerson was most famous in life for oratory and is now best-known for essays but had a poet's soul in the truest sense; he wrote many poems, but a poetic sensibility underlies all his writings. His essays are sculpted with poetic precision; he is admirably concise and knows just what words to use to get attention and desired effect, not needing more. Perhaps more importantly, his style is as close to poetry as prose can be, full of beautiful descriptions, exciting metaphors, and general lushness. Yet he was also a philosopher, conveying classic philosophy in easily relatable form with new relevance and contributing much of his own. Only Plato himself rivals Emerson for combining poetry and philosophy's unique strengths; his essays are strong on all fronts.

Emerson now unfortunately and unfairly has a reputation as a difficult, somewhat antiquated read in many minds. This is a travesty, as very few classic writers are as relevant and accessible. Hard as it may be to conceive, Emerson was seen in life as a popularizer; he wrote for regular people, conveying intellectual material in terms they could easily understand, relate to, appreciate - and, above all, act on. Though one of the most well-educated, well-read, and well-traveled people of his day, he had the rare gift of translating weighty issues to the masses without losing intellectual vigor. Thus, though widely and greatly admired by artists and intellectuals, he was often looked down on by the high-brow. Time has erased this injustice, meaning Emerson can now be enjoyed by all.

It is hard to classify Emerson's essays; he wrote on nearly every conceivable subject:philosophy, psychology, history, literary criticism, ethics, politics, and many, many others. However, his overriding concern at all times was to make his subjects not only accessible but in the most fundamental way relatable. His work was essentially a call to action meant to wake people up from intellectual stupor, apathy, narrow-mindedness, and pre-conceptions. He wanted to take people's intellectual virginity, forcing them to see the truth of Socrates' belief that an unexamined belief is not worth living. No cow was too sacred for him to kick, which led to considerable controversy; he was famously banned from Harvard Divinity School, his alma mater, for decades only to be welcomed back enthusiastically late in life when the school had adopted nearly all the stances it originally condemned as blasphemous. Emerson knew people were held back by inherited inhibitions of all sorts - often without even realizing it - and wanted them swept away so all could reach full potential. On top of everything else, his work is thus the best kind of self-help manual; few writers are as inspirational and fundamentally moving. He had a very real impact on millions of regular people across decades and profoundly influenced artists as diverse as Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Poe, Longfellow, and Whitman. His impact is indeed so titanic that most of these and many others might not have written at all without him; at the very least, their work would have been very different - probably unrecognizable and possibly far less great, if great at all - without him. He continued to have a great effect on later writers, including Robert Frost and his namesake Ralph Waldo Ellison; his reach indeed stretches to the present and shows no sign of disappearing. A true testament to his influence is the fact that several of these writers profoundly disagreed with him, much of their work essentially being a rebuttal; agree with him or not, his stature is such that one must deal with him. The aspect opponents have most often objected to is his relentless optimism, which is really the main obstacle to reading him. His philosophy survived the Civil War - was indeed a far from negligible force in creating and sustaining union spirit -, but the twentieth century's numerous atrocities can easily make him seem so naïve as to be hopelessly outdated. The truth is very much otherwise. Emerson is never more needed than in trying times; it is not hyperbolic to say the world would be a far more peaceful and better place if the hard common sense at his writings' core were taken to heart. Everyone should read him because he helps us find the best in ourselves, appealing to humanity's best instincts to make a better future for both individuals and society.

There are many Emerson collections, ranging from pocket best ofs to collected editions that fill a library shelf. This excellent volume is one of the most widely available and least expensive, making a great primer. With six essays ("History," "Self-Reliance," "Friendship," "The Over-soul," "The Poet," and "Experience") and a speech (the famous Divinity School Address) spread out over 117 pages, it is a representative sampling of his best work. We get a clear picture of what made Emerson great, and several pieces - particularly the incredible trio of "Self-Reliance," "The Poet," and "Experience" - are not only among the best essays ever but are some of the greatest literature period. Any one of them would be worth more than the book's price in themselves, and they have excellent companions.

It is important to realize that this is a basic edition. Many great works are missing, meaning the dedicated will need a more comprehensive version. This is after all a sampler, though, and has the far from inconsiderable virtue of leading one to other Emerson. This should not be anyone's only Emerson purchase but will serve most readers well as their first. Comprehensiveness aside, anyone wanting notes or other supplemental material will need to skip it. The idea of an Emerson book needing such things in his life would have been unthinkable, but changes in language - and, one might argue, a substantial dumbing-down of the reading public - now make them necessary for some. His gist is clear enough, but his vocabulary and, more importantly, his wealth of historical, literary, and contemporary references may be lost on casuals. However, anyone wanting only than a generous introductory sampler could do no better than this, especially considering the near-unbelievable price. One would be extremely hard-pressed to find more practical wisdom in a book of this size or price. Emerson speaks to all, and this book is extremely valuable in letting him speak in an easily accessible and affordable form. This or a more deluxe collection belongs on everyone's bookshelf.

Know thyself
I should read Self-Reliance every year, make it an annual event, a reminder to be true to myself. A literary prescription for confidence, peace and presence of mind.

my constaint companion
a copy of this book has traveled with me in my car for the past few years. gave it to everyone for christmas this year- and at less than 4 bucks a book, its the best deal around
full of pure inspiration. enjoy!

Self reliance
Its was a well done order i had no troblems receivin it. It came on time. ... Read more

Product Description
Possibly the most quoted man in American letters, Emerson's sayings appear in overwhelming numbers in most general quote books but this is the first devoted to Emerson alone. Here are 750 quotes arranged by subject so that readers can easily locate the ideas that interest and inspire them. ... Read more

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Together in one volume, Emerson's Nature and Thoreau's Walking, is writing that defines our distinctly American relationship to nature.

"Certain writings should be read together, and these two make perfect partners. A beautiful new volume."
-Walking ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

splendid little edition
I've come to assign it in courses but read it in your own. The essays are beyond compare, the book itself a pleasure to hold.

Take the walking, leave the nature
The essays Nature and Waling are written by two of the pillars of transendentalism. I have never read an essay which surmized why one should appreciate nature as much as walking. It passages made me comtenmpate why I appreciate nature and the simple pleasures of waling with no destination in mind.It soldified many ideas that I had for a long time and placed them in a beatiful framework.It is a shame that Walking is overshadowed by Walden. One drawback to this book, although it serves as a useful comparison is that after reading Walking, nature by Emerson seems inferior.Althoiugh a good qualitity essay, it does not have the emotional connection and seems to detached for my preference.

a true example of American naturalism at its finest
John Elder is a genius! The spirituality of Emerson's "Nature" is a perfect compliment to the deep philosophical naturalism of Thoreau's work.It just came in the mail an hour or so and i can't put it down!I'mgoing to reccomend it to all of my friends. ... Read more

Product Description
This Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition includes a glossaryand notes to help the modern reader appreciate details that may otherwisebe confusing or overlooked.Funny, fascinating, irritating, andimpossible to ignore, the Transcendentalists demand that readerslook inward, heed their own consciences, and, above all, act ontheir own convictions. The most famous of this set, Ralph WaldoEmerson and Henry David Thoreau, are known today as pioneersof the first uniquely American literary movement. Celebrating thewonders of nature and the landscapes of the mind with equalawe, Emerson and Thoreau have an appeal that transcends timeand place.Beginning with essays from Emerson's groundbreaking 1841Self-Reliance-a quintessential Transcendentalist read-thisanthology also contains the Concord Bard's Friendship. Puttingtheory into practice, Emerson's friend and protégé Thoreau buildsfoundations under Emerson's castles in the air; by deliveringaccounts of his own real-life efforts to live authentically in Walden andCivil Disobedience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Deep Thoughts
Transcendentalism was the first truly American philosophical movement and this nice (and cheap) edition collects some of the more canonical pieces of Transcendentalism's two greatest expounders, Emerson and Thoreau. It is ideal for students and classrooms as each piece contains a glossary that clears up outdated, or difficult, allusions and words.
Simplicity and self reliance were the two greatest tenets of transcendentalism and the essays in this collection certainly pound on that theme. However, two of the Thoreau selections (Civil Disobedience & Walden) touch on the purpose of nature in our lives and our role / relationship to our government. Both are massively relevant to almost any time and it is the universality of their themes that make them necessary reading.
Emerson and Thoreau were clearly great and original thinkers, and so one can get past their hypocrisy and numerous double standards throughout their writing. Reading the transcendentalists forces one to think about themselves.
To that, all I can say is awesome.
... Read more

Product Description
The decade from 1820 to 1830 was a period of unusual dulness in English thought and imagination. All the great literary reputations belonged to the beginning of the century, Byron, Scott, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, had said their say. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Letters between contemporaneous friends
The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, Volume 1, edited by Charles Eliot Norton, presents a most intriguing view into the intellectual and personal lives of two outstanding men of letters dominant of their time.Works reveal the minds; letters reveal the inner lives and views of the world in which they lived.Works are thoughts distilled; letters reveal perspective of their world. For this student works and letters are at once revealing and valuable. ... Read more

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An excerpt:

Product Description
Following the success of his first series of essays, Emerson offered the public his insights into additional facets of the human condition, from 'Character' and 'Manners' to 'Politics' and 'Poets'.Best known for his essay on 'Nature' - in which the author insists that solitary contemplation of the natural world can produce a most profound bodily exhilaration and spiritual enlightenment - Emerson once again demonstrates a vision that is both down-to-earth and deeply numinous, giving the reader a host of new perspectives from which to view the mysteries and seeming contradictions of Existence. ... Read more