Product Description
This is a beautiful new edition of Henry David Thoreau's masterpiece, WALDEN. Published by American Renaissance Books (www.AmericanRenaissanceBooks.com). ... Read more

Product Description
In August 1854, Houghton Mifflin"s predecessor, Ticknor & Fields, published a book called Walden; or, Life in the Woods, by a little-known writer named Henry Thoreau. At the time the book was largely ignored, but it has gone on to become one of the most widely read and influential works ever published, not only in this country but throughout the world. In August 2004 Houghton Mifflin, in association with the Walden Woods Project, will proudly publish a special 150th anniversary edition, beautifully illustrated with Scot Miller's spectacular color photographs, which are accompanied by historic black-and-white photographs and drawings. In the spirit of Thoreau, the book will be sensibly priced at $28.12, half a cent less than he spent building his cabin at Walden Pond. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The photos make this worth the extra money
I purchased the 150th Anniversary edition of Walden which is illustrated by photographs by Scot Miller.

Miller illustrates the classic with photos of Walden Pond and the surrounding countryside through all of the seasons and in its many moods.

I really enjoyed the macroshots and also his detail work. A lot of people would of overlooked the things he saw in the details. The images really helped make this more than just another reading of the old classic.

If you haven't read Thoreau's masterpiece in a while, or are looking for a great edition to put on your coffee-table or add to your Thoreau collection like I did.

Walden: 150th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of the American Classic

Walden
Although Walden is without a doubt one of the great books of all time it is a very difficult read.This is the type of book that requires patience and thought. Much of the challenge is centered on words and phrases that Thoureau uses that were commonplace in the 1800's but foreign to many of us in the 21st century.He probably would have had just as difficult a time trying to understand iPods and texting and reality TV.I found myself losing interest frequently because I didn't understand what he was trying to say. But, just when I was ready to give up there would appear a sentence or paragraph that were mesmerizing in thought and visualization and all of a suddent the effort seemed worthwhile.I would encourage everyone to give it a go.It's the kind of book that belongs on the coffee table not to impress but to draw your attention when your mood is thoughtful.I am sure that I will come back to this book often.

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation
These words are as true, or maybe more true now than when they where written. This book is a classic. I have a number of copies of Walden. I even have one in my car at all times.Thoreau is one of my favorites. I had the privilge Of visiting Walden Pond on three occasions. Having read the book many years ago, I was excited to finally be able to vist there. The first time I went was like an spiritual experience for me. Standing on the spot where his little cabin once stood was great. The only thing left there is an outline of his cabin and part of a fire place. The water is crystal clear as he mentioned in one of his writings. There is a stone pile by where the cabin was located. People from all over would come and put stones on a pile. I guess that was part of an old custom. People wrote little notes on the stones and threw them on the pile.I took some photos and keep them in my office. I hope to someday return there.

Reading in Ohio
I received the book in record time, in great condition. It is a wonderful read..the pictures are awesome too.

Walden: 150 Anniversary Illustrated Edition
Walden Pond is a classic which everyone should be required to read. I read this years ago and wanted to add this one to my library. What a wonderful surprise it was. The pictures enhance this classic. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Thoreaus' works, Nature and getting back to the basics in life. In this busy life we live, it is relaxing to spend time reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description
INCLUDES 'WALDEN' COMPLETE; SELECTIONSFROM 'A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS' 'THE MAINE WOODS' AND THE 'JOURNAL'; EIGHTEEN POEMS AND SIXTEEN ESSAYS. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Portable Thoreau
I got this book within a timely manner and am very satisfied with the product and the seller.

For Philosophers and Thoreau/Transcendentalist Scholars only
This was a very difficult book for me to read as there was too much going on.Thoreau had a wandering mind as well as body, and that comes out quite well in this collection of his works.Unfortunately, I don't like that sort of writing.It always felt like he was rambling and would never stick to one topic.While this is an admirable quality it is also frustrating.There were some interesting parts in this book.I particularly liked aspects of "Civil Disobedience," the chapter in Walden on reading was riveting, and his "Life Without Principles," had some interesting thoughts.And, too be fair, I read through this rather quickly.But, this is a book only for philosophers and Thoreau/Transcendentalist scholars.Average readers should stick with "Civil Disobedience" and Walden.

GOT MORE THAN EXPECTED
Really just wanted to turn back time to when I read Civil Disobedience and Waldens Pond back in high school. Wound up getting a wonderful anthology of Thoreau that has taken a prominent place in my life again. The "portable" part should come with a disclaimer; I can barely cram it into my coat pocket and it lQQks rather odd tucked into my waistband.
He still makes so much sense, and yet, the mainstream folks will never buy into his straight forward sensibility. He threatens their power structure built on taxes and politics, so his ideas will never fly.
Damn glad to have the book though!It's a keeper!

Nice Size
This is a nice size copy. I'm glad it's larger than a normal paper back.

'makes reading Thoreau a more beautiful experience.

Just a taste
This book is a collection of essays, poems, and chapters of books written by Thoreau.It includes:

Essays:
--Natural History of Massachusetts
--A Winter Walk
--Civil Disobedience
--Walking
--Life Without Principle
--The Last Days of John Brown

Book excerpts:
--The Wilds of Penobscot (from The Maine Woods)
--Life in the Wilderness (from The Main Woods)
--Concord to Montreal (A Yankee in Canada, Excursions)
--Selections from 1858 (Journal)
--The Wellfleet Oysterman (Cape Cod)

A sampling of 18 poems is also included, as well as the full text of Walden.Supplementing this material by Thoreau are an introduction and epilogue by the editor, a short chronology of the main events of Thoreau's life, and a short bibliography.There is no index.

For a book that tries to capture the essence and variety of Thoreau's work in one volume, the choice of essays is quite decent."Civil Disobedience" and "The Last Days of John Brown" represent some of the best and most well known of Thoreau's political works."Life Without Principle" is perhaps the most well-known essay describing Thoreau's economic philosophy. The remaining essays are classics of his naturalist writing.If there were more space, it would have been great to include "Autumnal Tints," "Wild Apples," or "The Succession of Forest Trees," as well.The book excerpts also present a decent selection of highlights.Certainly, Walden is Thoreau's most well-known book, and it contains material on many of his characteristic topics, so it makes sense to print the entire text.Due to space constraints, material from the other books can only be excerpted, so only the most outstanding or popular sections of the other books appear in this volume.

Carl Bode, the editor, includes a short biographical sketch of Thoreau in the introduction, and provides brief notes that describe the context for each of the items included in the book.In the biographical sketch, Bode follows the biographer Canby for the most part, and doesn't seem very impressed by Thoreau's writing on nature, terming him "merely an amateur botanizer."In the epilogue, Bode summarizes a 1957 unpublished doctoral dissertation by Raymond Gozzi, in which Gozzi does an extended Freudian psycho-analysis of Thoreau, based on his writings and known biographical details.Gozzi's findings, at least as reported by Bode, are bizarre, as for instance, when it is claimed Thoreau's affinity for swamps as being sexual in nature, or when it is proposed that Thoreau had an Oedipus complex and his relationship with John Brown was colored by his identification with Brown as a father-figure. In sum, this book provides a decent taste of many of Thoreau's more famous works.The biographical sketch can also be useful for students of Thoreau, but the epilogue is more useful as an example of the oddities of Freudian analysis than a serious account of Thoreau and his work.
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Product Description
Civil Disobedience: And Other Political Writings, written by legendary author Henry David Thoreau, is widely considered to be among the greatest classic texts of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Civil Disobedience: And Other Political Writings is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Henry David Thoreau is highly recommended. Published by Classic Books International and beautifully produced, Civil Disobedience: And Other Political Writings would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Worst publication ever!!
The layout of this book is horrible and there are at least 1 typo on every page. Don't buy this book!

Be an example, friends!
As the man said, "What is once well done is done forever."

You can't beat this price either, for good reading on the philosophy of letting your conscience guide you.A great edition.And greatly needed in this day and age.

Poor Quality
I was very disappointed in the quality of the book. The typesetting is atrocious, with many misspellings. Very hard to read. Avoid this edition.

Poorly Published
The writings of H.D. are excellent, however the published structure of the essays is deplorable. There are no paragraphs and typos abound on every page, I recommend avoiding this version of Thoreau's writings, as they are very difficult to read.

A MAN CANNOT WITHOUT DISGRACE BE ASSOCIATED WITH TODAY'S AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Possibly the best exemplar of what America truly stands for is Henry David Thoreau. The above title quite effectively summarizes the premise of Thoreau's CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.Unfortunately, this sentiment is no less true today than it was in Thoreau's time.The government he so despised supported slavery, the slaughter of Native Americans, and a war of conquest against Mexico.The majority of Americans today agree that the first two, at least, are quite disgraceful (though only in retrospect).Wars of conquest are just fine providing that you win.As Hitler said, "Nobody will ever ask the winner if he told the truth."Few Americans would have minded that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and nothing whatever to do with the destruction of the World Trade Center if Bush's war had been successful.They also do not mind that American corporations keep the majority of the world's population in unnecessary poverty and subjected to brutal "pro-American" dictatorships as long as the stolen wealth of these nations make them wealthier also.Now that these corporations are hoarding most of this stolen wealth for themselves, causing America's middle class to shrink and the number below the poverty to increase, it is likely that Americans will soon start minding corporate greed - at least at home.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE is one of the books that was mentioned with mild approval in high school literature classes in the late 60's; perhaps that is why so few people ever read it. Certainly, those very few who actually read it, and acted upon its advice, were despised.Now that I have finally read it, I am astonished to find how "radical" it is."Radical" being the term used to describe attitudes that are supposed to be both Christian and American (though the most vocal of today's Christians - the CORPORATE-WHORE sect -- revile those people who actually understand Christ and America as Godless traitors).This was the book that inspired Gandhi, who understood both the teaching of Christ and what America is really supposed to represent.It is not surprising that the hypocritical Reagan administration - the administration during which the gap between the wealthy and the middle class first started to skyrocket, corporate criminality blossomed, anda war supporting a dictatorial regime was illegally financed - adopted Thoreau's motto, "That government is best which governs least."In fact, Thoreau asserts that legislators who put obstacles in the way of commerce "deserve to be classed and punished with those mischievous persons who put obstructions on the railroads."If one only read the first few paragraphs of Thoreau, one might almost suppose that he was the Jesus Christ of corporate capitalism.Of course, in today's America, the corporations ARE essentially the government.When they claim they want a government that governs least they are actually declaring that they do not want Americans to have any control over them.It is mind-boggling that so many Americans lap this up.But citizens are taught to respect law rather than justice, to such a degree that they cannot distinguish between the two."The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies."The primary human trait that has made our history so ugly is that we permit ourselves to be manipulated by the voracious. Thinking clearly enough to look out for ourselves and our brethren is condemned as traitorous, and it is against the law.

Cheney's response to being told that 71% of Americans opposed the war was, "So?"Even though it is clear now to the majority what has always been clear to radicals, (i.e. people who are not easily manipulated), that the war was for the sake of oil companies, Bush unabashedly boasts that "it was worth it."Indeed, for his ilk, the war has turned out to be far more profitable than they had imagined.But in reality it has made America one of the most hated countries in the world, has turned Iraq into a breeding ground for terrorists, jacked up the price of oil (which is why it has been "worth it" for the oil magnates), and has made all thoughtful Americans profoundly ashamed of our country.

We are now engaged in the mesmerizing media extravaganza known as voting for a new leader.An intelligent human can only respond, "So?"Thoreau points out the obvious: "All voting is a sort of gaming . . . with a slight moral tinge to it." We can vote against evil rather than actually do anything to amend evil.America will stay in Iraq regardless of who is president.One cannot be accused of saying anything that is not already obvious by stating that the corporations decide for whom we are permitted to vote.The idea that we have a two party system is transparently false.What we really have are two factions of one party, namely the liberal and the conservative, of the corporate capitalist party.Though the difference between the two factions is not nearly as significant as it was thirty years ago since the corporations have nearly succeeded in destroying the labor unions, it does still make some difference which faction is in office.On the other hand, if our "masters" decide that they want a war with Iran, as it seems they do, then America will go to war with Iran regardless of for whom we elect as president.It is not as if our government's ethical code condemns concocting a disaster that they can blame on Iran to muster popular support for such a war.

Getting rid of the draft was a cunning strategy.If all young Americans had to face combat we would quickly see mass protests.Now the military is far easier to control and the corporations have their own private militias - Blackwater and other CORPORATE THUGS beyond the control of Congress, the Pentagon, the puppet government of the occupied Iraq, and the Geneva Convention - which are nonetheless still paid for by taxpayers.(Is it being too paranoid to fantasize that different corporate factions might start vying for power so that we will see these thugs engaging in street wars just as the illegal gangster do)?

It is noteworthy that while America - "the land of the free" - has just 6% of the world's population, it has 25% of the world's prison population. While I doubt that very many American are in prison for the crime of obeying their conscience rather than the law, is there any reason to think that Americans are so much more prone to criminality than other nationalities?Thoreau writes, "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison."Thoreau was imprisoned for refusing to pay his tax-bill that supported the Mexican War and slavery.Since my income tax is taken from my paycheck before I ever see it, this mode of standing up for what I know to be right is barely an option.Even if it were, I should probably not take it."If I deny the authority of the State when it presents its tax-bill, it will soon take and waste all my property, and so harass me and my children without end."Gandhi and Thoreau had the sufficient courage and confidence to believe that their acts of defiance would accomplish something worthwhile, but I do not.I think I would merely ruin my marriage and my child's chance to get a college education, and only a handful of largely unsympathetic people would ever be aware of it.Jesus advised us, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's;" In other words, that might be interpreted to mean that we should pay our taxes.But how can one really do that in good conscience if those taxes support that which is clearly evil?If there is anyway in which I feel that I am a traitor to America, and a failure in doing what Jesus would do, it is that I obey unjust laws without doing anything more noteworthy to obey my conscience than writing essays such as this one.
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Product Description
The classic essays. According to Wikipedia: "Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, sage writer and philosopher. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state. Thoreau's books, articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes. Among his lasting contributions were his writings on natural history and philosophy, where he anticipated the methods and findings of ecology and environmental history, two sources of modern day environmentalism...Thoreau is sometimes cited as an individualist anarchist as well as an inspiration to anarchists. Though Civil Disobedience calls for improving rather than abolishing government – "I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government" – the direction of this improvement aims at anarchism: “‘That government is best which governs not at all;’ and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have.” ... Read more

Product Description
With their call for "simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!”, for self-honesty, and for harmony with nature, the writings of Henry David Thoreau are perhaps the most influential philosophical works in all American literature.

The selections in this volume represent Thoreau at his best. Included in their entirety are Walden, his indisputable masterpiece, and his two great arguments for nonconformity, Civil Disobedience and Life Without Principle. A lifetime of brilliant observation of nature--and of himself--is recorded in selections from A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers, Cape Cod, The Maine Woods and The Journal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great book! But I ordered new!
This book is brilliant. Ive never been a fan of non fiction but I gave this book a go because I remember reading some writings of Thoreau in high school and liking it.

It is a very inspiring book. I almost wanted to just go out and experience what its like with out technology myself. I might not have done that but i did unplug my TV for a few weeks.

I gave the book 5 stars because it deserves it. However the people i ordered it from (internationalbooks) would get 1 star. I ordered it new and they shipped me a used one. At least the book is in pretty good shape but i would recommend avoiding them if your looking for a new book.

A questioning of life
Thoreau masterfully analyzes his in its purest form, he does away his allsuperfluous details. He forces the read to question his own existence. Heforces the reader to imagine life without technology, commotion andanything unnecessary. Besides his analysis in Walden, he takes a stand forthe maverick, for the individual, for the non-conformist. Lastly his socialcommentary especially about slavery shows how wrong our coutry had been. ... Read more

Product Description
An anthology of nature poems by the author of Walden features poetry concerned with how one lives in nature and complemented by watercolor illustrations by Homer, Singer Sargent, and others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A beautiful addition to any Thoreau library
This volume certainly isn't the first (or last) publication to match Henry David Thoreau's words with beautiful photos.The differences here are that (a) the text is solely Thoreau's poetry, and (b) the accompanying visuals are pieces from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.It is Thoreau's *prose* that is most often quoted and reprinted ad infinitum.In spite of the fact that he described himself as a poet by profession, today Thoreau's poetry is frequently dismissed as being sub-par or not worth considering at all.This treatment serves to remedy that situation.

Here, 52 poems are illustrated with the work of more than 20 artists.Sixteen of the paintings are from Winslow Homer and six are from John Singer Sargent.Putting Thoreau's words next to Homer's artwork is a perfect match.Both men were inspired by the natural world and conveyed their connectedness in their creations.

One of the most compelling entries is not Nature-oriented."I Am the Little Irish Boy" tells the story of a youngster whose father was a railroad worker.The facing page shows Jessie Wilcox Smith's red-haired tyke looking out from her illustration called "When Daddy was a Little Boy."The well-dressed boy in the picture is better off than the one described in the poem, and yet his eyes will catch you and make you think about the similarities instead.

This smallish coffee table book could be opened to a different poem and painting each day, it's that nice.Scoop one up if you can find it!

The perfect combination
Winslow Homer's watercolors perfectly complement Thoreau's works.For someone new to Thoreau's poetry, it is an enchanting collection sure to engage, capturing the essence of New England nature, and Transcendentalist philosophy.It is a beautiful tribute to two who were masters of their crafts. ... Read more

Product Description
In a series of richly painted landscapes, Walking with Henry offers readers of all ages a glimpse into the grandeur of nature through Thoreau’s eyes, showing how one can discover, when walking in the natural world, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Henry David Thoreau was a serious field biologist who studied nature and all its intricacies, and who showed us that nature was something more than facts to be assembled, arranged, and measured. He was also a poet, and in his hands, closely observed facts blossomed into wonder-filled metaphors of lasting value.

Footstep by footstep, we follow Thoreau on his solitary journey through wilderness, gaining insight into his quiet and reflective world. With this wondrous introduction to the poet–philosopher, Walking with Henry helps readers understand Thoreau’s belief that wilderness can be found in every blade of grass, every tree, and every aspect of the natural world. Wildness wasn’t a resource for Thoreau; it was the ultimate source of creativity, essential for survival in an ever-evolving, fast-paced world.

Walking with Henry carries a healing message for our time by sharing a love of the wild so natural to the young. Selections of Thoreau’s writing will inspire teachers and parents to a renewed appreciation of the importance of Thoreau’s thoughts in today’s world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An in depth persspective on the time line of ecology.
As Tom was forming the images for this book he fell extremely ill. While in a deep and long coma he met Henry and based upon that meeting several of the images in this book were changed. These beautiful images of the Hudson River and in particular Storm King Mountain will haunt and excite you as you consider how this area was formed and has survived man's interference. The essence of this area will be finally synthesized in his next book, The Story of a River. When completed this will give you a private insight into time and ecology not found anywhere else.

A warm and resplendently beautiful picture book
Written and illustrated by Thomas Locker, Walking With Henry is a warm and resplendently beautiful picture book based on the life and works of Henry David Thoreau. Majestic painted landscapes showcase simple descriptions drawn from and inspired by the man who loved to walk in the wilderness. Walking With Henry is a highly recommended and heartwarming tribute suitable for young readers of all ages, and aptly serve to introduce the life and work of America's most famous and enduringly popular naturalists. ... Read more

Product Description
Walden was first published as Walden; or, Life in the Woods, and it is an American book written by Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, journey of spiritual discovery, and manual for self reliance.

Published in 1854, it details the famous author's experiences over the course of two years in a cabin he built near Walden Pond, in forested area owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Walden Review
I've read Thoreau's "Walden, or Life in the Woods" twice. (The first time I was living in a log cabin in the Smoky Mountain foothills.) I've revisited various sections several times over the years and although, as a read, I prefer his monumental "Journal," this book he wrote about his time in the small cabin on Walden Pond still resonates, even more so in our dire economic times. His message is timeless, even prophetic.

As Thoreau opines, "That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest," or, "The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run." He built his cabin mostly out of recycled materials, only spending a mere $28.13 for the things he needed. (It took me 20 years to pay for the house I live in and it cost quite a bit more.)

Thoreau warns about the dangers of living in a material world, principally, you give your life to acquisition, acquisition, acquisition. It's endless. It controls you, not the other way around. "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation," you only have to go downtown and watch the people come and go from the office buildings to know this is true.

"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify," he proclaims!

And finally, the declaration that frames the book and establishes him as the ultimate champion of Emersonian individualism, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. "

Indeed. Henry David wanted to immerse himself in reality and, sitting quietly, listen intently to his own thoughts. ... Read more

Product Description
Best quotations of Henry David Thoreau, including this gem:"Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison." ... Read more

Product Description
Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American author, poet, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.

Thoreau's books, articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes. Among his lasting contributions were his writings on natural history and philosophy, where he anticipated the methods and findings of ecology and environmental history, two sources of modern day environmentalism. His literary style interweaves close natural observation, personal experience, pointed rhetoric, symbolic meanings, and historical lore; while displaying a poetic sensibility, philosophical austerity, and "Yankee" love of practical detail. He was also deeply interested in the idea of survival in the face of hostile elements, historical change, and natural decay; at the same time imploring one to abandon waste and illusion in order to discover life's true essential needs.

He was a lifelong abolitionist, delivering lectures that attacked the Fugitive Slave Law while praising the writings of Wendell Phillips and defending abolitionist John Brown. Thoreau's philosophy of civil disobedience influenced the political thoughts and actions of such later figures as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thoreau is sometimes cited as an individualist anarchist. Though Civil Disobedience calls for improving rather than abolishing government – "I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government"– the direction of this improvement aims at anarchism: "'That government is best which governs not at all;' and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have."
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Product Description
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) championed the belief that people of conscience were at liberty to follow their own opinions, and he wrote at length on subjects that either supported or explained his (at-the-time) controversial views. In these selections from his writings, we see Thoreau as individualist and opponent of injustice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent book!
The item was delivered in excellent conditions. Regarding the content itself, I am very pleased. The book is deep, a balsamic reading for those who have ever experienced solitude or stood up for their principles and never forgot about them.

Walden Woods...True Nature Worth Preserving!
Aho! Hello-Cherokee Language
These books and literature are just the kind that should be mandatory in educational classrooms. They seem second to a bible. The writer is very direct and strong spirited. As well as many of the other titles that I have explored, I have a very good bookshelf collection that I would suggest to any person in hopes of expanding their horizon... In fact, I have made a habit of giving this literature as gifts.
One especially excellent book about the preserving of Walden Pond and Woods,included amazing writings from Musical Artist Don Henley {The Eagles}. He states the strength of his thoughts andfeelings about his beliefs of preserving nature and the making goodness out of society.
For a writer {Ralph Waldo Emerson}so far back in years, he seems to have been "born before his time", knowing so much about what we need.
Most enchanting....
"Peace is not only a season, it is also a way of life."
"Mundo Wigo" The Creator Is Good-Mohegan Language ... Read more

Product Description
Excerpts from Thoreau's Walden highlight his belief in the inherent value of living life in harmony with nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Very nice selection of passages from Walden, lavishly illustrated
Henry David's House makes a fine introduction to Thoreau in his own words.The simple message conveyed in the selected quotations from Walden is that Thoreau went to Walden Pond and built a small cabin with the help of friends and lived there for a few seasons living simply and loving nature.This is, of course, what is widely known about Thoreau even among those who've never read Walden.The illustrations are very lovely, and the passages are carefully chosen.It would make a very nice introduction to the life of a remarkable American thinker -- that would with any luck prepare its readers for a more serious encounter with his ideas.

My only hesitation in recommending this book is that it may falsely confirm the widespread impression that Thoreau was merely a romantic, in search of solitude and natural delight.I find, having taught Walden for years in college courses, that most students approach the book with very little interest because they expect to find there nothing more than this simple account, of an eccentric hermit who writes beautifully about nature.They often find that he is speaking directly to concerns they may never have voiced to themselves about growing up, thinking for oneself, supporting oneself without becoming dependent, either upon an employer or upon the approval of peers, about avoiding the rat race, about not getting caught up in concerns that make one lose oneself.That this small book avoids many of the subjects covered in Walden is not a criticism -- since to cover the topic thoroughly it would need to include much more text and be a much bigger book with fewer illustrations.It is merely to suggest that readers of the book remember that Thoreau's life along the waters of Walden Pond was not merely a nature retreat but a philosophical experiment in living.

The beauty, power and subtlety of solitary living
Illustrated by Peter Fiore and edited by Steven Schnur, Henry David's House introduces young readers ages 5 to 9 to the life, thought and writings of Henry David Thoreau. Text and illustration collaborate to showcase the beauty, power and subtlety of solitary living withing the context of a nature-oriented retreat as represented by Thoreau's tiny house in the woods and on the shore of Walden Pond. Henry David's House is an enthusiastically recommended addition to school and community picturebook collections.

Living the Simple Life.....
"Near the end of March I borrowed an axe and went down to the woods by Walden Pond and began to cut down some tall white pines for timber..."Author, Steven Schnur has chosen several wonderfully engaging passages from Henry David Thoreau's Walden, in this elegant picture book, and young readers will really get a vivid sense of the hard, yet rewarding work of building his house, the few possessions needed to live comfortably, the beauty of the changing seasons, and living the simple life in harmony with nature."Sometimes, in a summer morning, having taken my accustomed bath, I sat in my sunny doorway from sunrise till noon, rapt in a revery, amidst the pines and hickories and sumachs, in undisturbed solitude and stillness, while the birds sang around or flitted noiseless through the house, until by the sun falling in at my west window, or the noise of some traveller's wagon on the distant highway, I was reminded of the lapse of time."Peter Fiore's lush and exquisite watercolor illustrations bring the splendor of Thoreau's existence at Walden Pond to life on the page, and together word and art evoke feelings of peace, quiet, and contentment.Perfect for readers 8-12, this book works well as a real aloud with D.B. Johnson's Henry Builds a Cabin, for younger children.With an editor's note at the end to fill in further biographical details about Thoreau and his time at Walden, Henry David's House is an evocative treasure to read, share, and most of all discuss."We can never have enough of Nature."

A great introduction to Thoreau for young readers.
Henry David's House is a picturebook adaptation by Steven Schnur of a part of Henry David Thoreau's classic nature book "Walden", told with only a limited amount of editing. Beautiful, slightly abstract yet full-color illustrations by Peter Fiore bring this classic thinker's words to vibrant life for young readers. Henry David's House is a superb introduction to a literary masterpiece for young readers, and its final message, "We can never have enough of Nature," reverberates in the hearts of all ages. Highly recommended for family, school, and community library picturebook collections.

Gorgeous illustrations set to Thoreau's words
Henry David Thoreau describes his cabin, how he built it, and a little bit of his life in it, in these selected excerpts from _Walden_. Peter Fiore's exquisite paintings provide vibrant accompaniment to each quotation. The result is a beautiful "picture book" any Thoreau fan would be proud to own.

I'm not sure that its target audience should be very young children. If kids pull this one off the shelf, the meaning of the words will be lost on them, and the artwork that goes along with the text won't build the story on its own. Though full of the Walden spirit, this book isn't as engaging to the youngest readers as D. B. Johnson's similar _Henry Builds a Cabin_ or _Henry Hikes to Fitchburg_. Perhaps its best use would be as a multigenerational preface to Thoreau's work, with teacher-student or parent-child combinations reading the book together. _Henry David's House_ could introduce middle school and high school students to the literary and scientific portions of _Walden_ and could serve as a first step in their acquaintance with the author. Teens and pre-teens may balk at being read to, but they're also visual learners who are at an age to appreciate the presentation here. And if it inspires them to pick up Thoreau's classic to read for themselves, so much the better. ... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1854, Henry David Thoreau"s groundbreaking "Walden" has influenced generations of readers and continues to inspire and inform anyone with an open mind and a love of nature.There is so much wisdom in Walden, it's impossible to digest it all even in a dozen readings. Pithy lines and quotes by Henry David Thoreau tend to the return to the reader over and over again, as life rolls along. A favorite quote from Thoreau states that he would be happy to live in a pine box, three feet by six feet, as long as he could wake up every morning in the middle of nature. When it came to simplicity and sustainability, Henry David Thoreau was years ahead of his time. Walden, along with the journals of Henry David Thoreau, constitute some of the most useful of and timeless of all American literature. ... Read more

Product Description
"Walden" is the classic account of two years spent by Henry David Thoreau living at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. The story is detailed in its accounts of Thoreau's day-to-day activities, observations, and undertakings to survive out in the wilderness for two years. Thoreau's journal is an exquisite account of a man seeking a more simple life by living in harmony with nature. In today's fast-paced consumer-driven society the austere life style endorsed by Thoreau is as relevant and refreshing as ever. ... Read more

Product Description
Naturalist, philosopher, champion of self-reliance and moral independence, Henry David Thoreau remains not only one of our most influential writers but also one of our most contemporary. This unique and comprehensive edition gathers all of Thoreau's most significant works (including his masterpiece Walden, reproduced in its entirety). Taken together, they reveal the astounding range, subtlety, artistry, and depth of thought of this true American original.

Included in this Modern Library Paperback Classics edition are: Walden, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, selections from Cape Cod and The Maine Woods, "Walking," "Civil Disobedience," "Slavery in Massachusetts," "A Plea for Captain John Brown," and "Life Without Principle." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Food for thought, long after you finish
This is an incredible book. It is telling that most of the negative reviews are by bored high school students who, quite understandably, couldn't appreciate the book. I don't think high school is a time at which you can really appreciate this book - I can see how it would just be grueling. One girl even wrote that she had to write her one-star review quickly as she was in a rush to meet her boyfriend at McDonald's... oh, the humanity. Various other 'critics' consider Thoreau's understanding of Eastern philosophy/religion to be inadequate (theirs, presumably, is top notch!).

I will agree that the prose plods along at times and even though I am a huge reader, this was a slow haul in many ways. Nonetheless the book is packed with insights and uplifting, encouraging ideas. I don't agree that because Thoreau had a Harvard education, therefore he is not entitled to attempt to lead a more simple life. Those who whine that his descriptions of nature are meaningless and go on too long have very, very obviously missed the point. Reading this book quietly and slowly it is evident that almost every passage on nature is allegorical, and interpretable as a passage on humanity and its sufferings and potentials; Thoreau only occasionally points this out explicitly, but it underlies most of the book.

I highlighted dozens of passages in this work and will keep the battered old paperback with me for the rest of my life. To those too busy (or too lazy, or frankly too stupid) to understand this book, or who are in a rush to get to McDonald's, it's your loss... for those whose understanding of Eastern religion is too profound, I guess yes, you will have to look elsewhere... I can say though that I have given this book to several people. Those whom I truly respect as human beings have all loved it. As for the rest, well...

I'd buy it just for the introduction
Walden, of course, is a timeless classic. I've read it in its entirety several times, and I keep this book at my bedside so I can flip to my favorite chapters, Solitude, The Ponds, Winter Animals, Spring, etc., any time I wish. Only Thoreau can end a book with the sentence "The Sun is but a morning star". About the only thing I am not that crazy about in this book is the first chapter "Economy", it seems to me that Thoreau just spent a little too much justifying his living at Walden, why he tells a story about himself, etc.

As to this book, you have Walden and a few famous short essays (Civil Disobedience, Life without principle, etc.) in their entirety. Do not expect much from the excerpts from other works (A week, the Maine woods, Cape Cod and the journal), they merely give you very fragmented glimpses of them. However, there is an excellent introduction by J.W. Krutch, very scholarly written and fun to read. I think this alone is worth the price (and you get "Walden" to boot!).

FIVE STARS FOR THE GIRL IN WYOMING!
I have no intention of reviewing the writings of Thoreau.The way I figure it is this : if you don't "get it" (and the world around us clearly testifies that few do), I'm not about to explain it.Besides, several other reviewers here have already done a very admirable job of excavating and cataloging the rich treasures that constitute the thoughts of Concord's timeless, self-professed "mystic, Transcendentalist, and natural philosopher."

I included this book in one of my Listmania Lists a while back, and was surprised to suddenly notice its low average grade today.I came to read the reviews and find out what's gone wrong here, and in doing so, I happened upon the review by the young lady from Rock Springs, Wyoming.Back in the year 2000, she gave 'WALDEN AND OTHER WRITINGS' one Star; titled her review, 'Dumb!'; stated that she "hated this book entirely"; and called for the start of an "anti-Thoreau campaign for students."

But it was her opening sentence that literally caused me to burst out laughing.Unquestionably and by a good margin, this is the funniest thing that I've ever encountered on the Amazon website.Actually, it's almost too perfect to be true.And yet, there it is.It provided me with the best laugh I have had in some time.If you don't appreciate the writings of Henry David Thoreau, then surely you will not appreciate the irony of her statement, but for those of us whose lives have been enriched by the New England SAUNTERER and NONCONFORMIST, this is just too "delicious!"Our Wyoming friend began her diatribe on Thoreau with this classic sentence :

"I HAVE TO MAKE THIS SHORT SINCE I WILL BE GOING OUT WITH MY BOYFRIEND FOR A 4:00 DATE AT McDONALD'S."


"I went to the fast food establishment because I wished to eat inexpensively,
to acquire only the essential promotional toys of a Happy Meal,
and see if I could not keep down what they had to serve,
and not when I came to die, discover that I had not removed the plastic wrap...
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of Chicken McNuggets...
to forgo the hot dog in favor of a Quarter Pound of greasy, round-molded meat
and to put to rout all that was not delivered in under 60 seconds."
-- Henry David Thoreau
'WALDEN' (21st Century edition); chapter II

The positive reviews here say much about their authors...
Lets cut to the chase, shall we?Academics and intellectuals like things written by other academics and intellectuals.They like "classics".Truth be told, this little tome is nothing but elitist, precious, fuzzy-minded rambling.Thoreau's poetic and mystical insights into "living off the land" are laughably naive and out of touch to anyone who has truly worked the land or lived in poverty.Its one more example of an intellectual "slumming" as some sort of lifestyle experiment...then writing about it in a gratingly self-congratulatory way.Wow, look at me, I lived here for TWO years!Did I mention that I built the cabin myself?Did I mention how cheaply I built everything?Did I mention how I sat for hours on end doing absolutely NOTHING?Did I mention how I walked into town everyday for supplies?Sure, Thoreau helped his family in their pencil making business, and thus wasn't materially rich, but why do his books only really appeal to well-off white folks?Because truly poor people know the reality of poverty.When all the poetry is stripped away, pretty though it may be, one is left with a self-indulgent fantasy about Thoreau's high concept and relatively low risk vacation.

Obsolete Editions
Teachers and Thoreau fans beware: this anthology contains heavily redacted versions of Thoreau's works and is not a reliable textual source.The version of _A Week_ is missing huge chunks of vital material, though the editor claims that he has included a complete version.Many titles and smaller details are wrong as well.The source editions for this anthology are pre-WWII.Much has changed for the better in the interim, and you cheat yourself by not ordering a more recent anthology--the Library of America one is excellent, textually impeccable. ... 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

Customer Reviews (58)

HDT speaks my mind
I've kept Thoreau at arm's length over the years.I sensed his brilliance yet secretly accused him of purposely unconnecting from the world.I was recently lead to him while looking for some essays on gardening.The first subject he covers in Walden is ecomomy.Economy rates low on my reading list.I was further warned by the difficulty of his text in general.Still, I was close to discovering his writings.In the beginning pages he takes me on a tour of opinions needing to be voiced in my life.My fear of crankiness is dispelled with freshness on every page.

A classic
How does one review a classic?In this day of eco-spirituality, Thoreau is a must-read.This edition is easy to read, but not the best quality paper. I don't expect it to have a long shelf life.
Thoreau is one of the saints of American ecology.His writing takes one to a different time and place, and yet one in which the rape of the landscape was already taking place.I suggest following Walden with Annie Dillard's marvelous Pingrim and Tinker's Creek.
Emerson's essay on Thoreau is a happy bonus.

Hard Work
I wonder if Thoreau wrote the way he did as a way of imparting to his readers how much hard work he put in to living in the woods. If so, he was successful.
This book contains many, many little gems of clever witticism and solid advice, but it's quite difficult to sift through all of the pointless and trivial paragraphs in order to separate Thoreau's genius from his madness. It is almost not worth it. I've lived twenty-two years having not read Walden and I did not live them as a hillbilly. Therefore, I probably would have been perfectly able to function in society without reading this monster.
Again, though, the gems in this book cannot be denied. They are a mirror, in front of which is standing American society.
Some have called Thoreau arrogant. I disagree. Although Americans might not want to see what Walden has to show them, they should not take this disgust out on the messenger. Thoreau did not imagine what he had to say about American society, but rather he observed it. That is not arrogance, it is realism and bravery.
I do, however, truly wish I'd not read this book. Someone should sort out the passages of value and publish them in a small volume that most people might actually be able to get through. American society would be the beneficiaries of valuable knowledge and information without the drag of the rest of Thoreau's book.

The Hobo Philosopher
My first copy of this book was indubitably from some other publisher. So I'm not commenting on this particular volume but the content of the work itself.
I have always loved this book but it wasn't until recent years that I realized what a controversial book this was. Thoreau published this book at his own expense and he sold very few copies. Later on he stored most of his unsold copies in an attic. He once claimed to have the largest collection of book published by Henry David Thoreau than anyone alive - and I'm sure he did.
But why didn't people buy this book? Well, for one thing it was critical of "the neighborhood". For another thing it was critical of "the values of his neighbors". For another thing it was critical of the values of his countrymen; it was critical of Capitalism; it was critical of modern life; it was critical of the "consumer mentality"; it was critical of the work ethic; it was critical of buying things; it was critical of "getting ahead" and "accumulating; it was critical of working for a living; it was critical of achieving; it was a critique on the civilization of the day - and it was not positive.
So why did it make me feel good to read it then and why does it have the same effect on me today?
I don't know but whenever I get lonely to go have a talk with an old friend I go to the book shelf and pick up Walden by Henry David Thoreau.

Books written by Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher:
"Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.."
"A Summer with Charlie"
"A Little Something: Poetry and Prose"
"Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother"

A lesson for us all
Imagine a man, living in the present time, who is fed up with life in our ever-changing electronic world. So, he goes to live in a hut he's re-built out by a gentle pond, reasonably away from civilization. He throws away his cell phone, computer, TV, radio, etc. and lives simply and quietly, observing naature with his eyes and a microscope. He's not a hermit, because he visits and is visited by, friends and neighbors. He examines his life in solitude and writes about the sights and sounds of the woods and the pond.
For two years living alone this way, he comes to know nature and himself intimately and when he returns to civilization, he is refreshed, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

Now, imagine all this as done 160 years ago when technology consisted of things like the newly invented telegraph (which he disdained), railway system, and others. Thoreau, like many of us today, longed to live simply and in harmony with Nature. The inspiration for hundreds of hippies, eco-freaks, Luddites and anti-technologists, he showed us that we sometimes need to get back to simple and clean living with no one and nothing to intrude on our thoughts.

And by the time you've finished this little gem of a book, the weekend will be over, and it will be time to go back to the ugly, long commute to a place where technology and stress seemingly go hand in hand. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
"I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one's self on this earth is not a hardship, but a pastime, if we will live simply and wisely." So said Henry David Thoreau in 1845 when he began his famous experiment in living on Walden Pond. In this graphic masterpiece, John Porcellino uses only the words of Thoreau himself to tell the story of those two years off the beaten track. The pared-down text focuses on Thoreau's most profound ideas, and Porcellino's fresh, simple pictures bring the philosopher's sojourn at Walden to cinematic life. For readers who know Walden intimately, this graphic treatment will provide a vivid new interpretation of Thoreau's story. For those who have never read (or never completed!) the original, it presents a contemporary look at a few brave words to live by. 
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

drawings cross the line from simple to unsophisticated
The idea of creating a graphic book using Thoreau's words about his experience and thoughts from his time at Walden Pond alongside illustrations is one of those ideas where you say to yourself, "This makes so much sense!Why hasn't anyone ever thought of this before?"For me, however, the execution of the idea was not great.

Every other commenter (thus far) has mentioned the "simple" drawings, some indicating that the simplicity of the drawings enhance and reflect the simplicity of Thoreau's life during his great experiment.I'm all on board with the desire to go with simple drawings for that very reason.However, these drawings were more than simple.They were unsophisticated.While Thoreau's life was indeed simple, it was very deep and profound as well.

I'm not a graphic novel expert by any means, so my references at this point will be childrens books.I wonder how Thoreau at Walden might have been different if Patrick McDonnell (The Gift of Nothing) or Peter Reynolds (The North Star) had illustrated this book instead.Both McDonnell and Reynolds create very simple illustrations, but you're unlikely to look at them and wonder, "Could a fifth grader have drawn these?"I know that when I look at their illustrations - Reynolds in particular - I feel compelled to study them in order to understand how so few lines create something so interesting.This is not a desire that ever overcame me while looking at Porcellino's illustrations in Thoreau at Walden.

As I said at the beginning, it's a wonderful idea.If you like Thoreau, this book could make an interesting addition to your library.I just wish the illustrations had captured the sophistication of Thoreau's words as well as the simplicity of his life.

Great graphic version of Walden
This book combines many of Thoreau's most famous sayings with simple drawings of the area around Walden pond. It is not a word-for-word rendition of Walden, but hits the highlights. It evokes a simpler life, but also shows just how much Thoreau's words still resonate today. Many of the drawings have no words with them, illustrating Thoreau's appreciation of silence, as well as simplicity.

Pitch Perfect!
Do not be fooled by the deceptive simplicity of the drawings here, be moved by them.

Everything that you need to know about Thoreau and why he is important, even essential to Americans of any era, is conveyed with clever precision in this slim, handsome volume. Perfect for the beginner...maybe even better for those who want to recall what it was about Thoreau that made him so important the first time we read his work decades ago.

Richie's Picks: THOREAU AT WALDEN
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."

"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."

"Shall we always study to obtain more of these things...and not sometimes to be content with less"

It is a lovely evening in Sebastopol to be reading and contemplating the words of Henry David Thoreau. There have been a few good rainy days over the past couple of weeks. Everything is suddenly sprouting -- even little weed seeds stuck on the sides of stones -- and one can easily recognize the increase in the height of the newly growing grass from a given morning to the same day's late afternoon. My osmanthus bush, at the bottom of the stairs outside, has in the past couple of days exploded in blossoms that once again send out the sweet, fragrant apricot scent that I fell in love with during that fall, long ago, when I first arrived here in Sebastopol.

It is a warm evening tonight and, with the windows open, the din of birds, bugs and frogs that lay mute just a few weeks ago in the dryness of late summer is providing a rich soundtrack of Mother Nature's fertile stirrings, a symphony of night music to accompany my reading of this inspiring little graphic novel.

THOREAU AT WALDEN succeeds quite beautifully in introducing readers to pearls of Henry David Thoreau through the incorporation of manageable passages of his writings into the graphic format.

"The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad...and if I repent of one thing, it is likely to be my good behavior."

"I hear an irresistible voice..which invites me away from all that."

"And he saw the tree above him, and the stars
And the veins in the leaf
And the light, and the balance."
-- Graeme Edge/Ray Thomas "The Balance"

I had the good sense a few years ago, when ALA was in Boston, to take time to walk from Concord to Walden in the dead of winter and experience in solitude the environs where Henry David melded his observations of his surroundings, his compassion, and his examination of the human condition into a philosophy that has since, for generation after generation, inspired so many of us whose feet move to the beat of a different drummer.

It is not an easy path to follow -- it never has been with the pounding beat of commercialism everywhere we turn. (I'm seeing ads for a life insurance company and a cell phone service provider being projected onto my email browser screen as I write this.)

"It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves...how worn and dusty, then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity."
"I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach -- and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

For someone like me, who came of age in the Seventies reading the works of E.F. Schumacher and Amory Lovins, THOREAU AT WALDEN is a joy to behold, a lovely book to inspire a new generation to live deliberately.

Soft and still
Credit The Center for Cartoon Studies with this much; it isn't your everyday average run-of-the-mill comic book variety factory. I mean, any schlub can slap together a bunch of panels, paste in some vague dialogue and facts, and then create enough computer images to declare their product a graphic novel bio of such n' such a figure. It's much harder when you want to do something a little more original with your subject. When The Center producedSatchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow last year, they didn't make it some rote retelling of facts. Instead they created a story around their subject, placing Satchel at the center of the action rather than the story. I was curious to see how they'd tackle their next project: Henry David Thoreau. The result was not what I'd expected. Simplifying everything down to its most essential components, John Porcellino takes Thoreau's Walden and conveys ideas through the minimum words and images needed to tell his tale. Its success is dependent entirely on the reader's willingness to play along.

Separated into four seasons, the reader follows Henry David Thoreau as he spends time living on his own alongside Walden Pond. Snatches of his writings from the time dot the text, with much of the attention paid to his quieter moments of pause and reflection. Watching an owl in a tree, standing in the rain, or sitting in the middle of a boat in the center of his pond, artist John Porcellino allows us the chance to experience the simple miracles of the everyday through Thoreau's eyes. With an almost minimalist style of cartooning, we see Porcellino recount the incident with the poll tax and other well-known moments, but for the most part this is a book that takes Thoreau's message to heart and seeks to present a book that conveys the message of Walden visually rather than with words.

I was pleased to see that D.B. Johnson was responsible for the Introduction to this book. Best known for his Henry picture books (Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, Henry Works, etc.) starring a Thoreaunized bear, Johnson delivers a beautiful summary of Thoreau's life, his ideas, and the way in which John Porcellino has captured the his spirit with remarkably few lines. Says Johnson, "You may regret that not all of Thoreau's words are here, but I do not. His words are among the most quoted of any writer and are found everywhere today. What could not be found until now are the countless moments of silence that Thoreau experienced at Walden Pond." I see it this way; anyone can relay a person's words. It takes a special talent to relay a person's peace of mind. I would also say that Johnson's Introduction is essential reading before you start in on the story. If you don't understand that this is a book that hopes to capture the quiet moments between Thoreau's thoughts then you might be confused as to why not much happens in the story. As Porcellino says of his book, it is, "not a definitive or chronological account of Thoreau's stay at the pond, but rather an impression of his experience there."

My husband was unconvinced of Porcellino's cartooning talent. And it would be fair to say that many people could pick up this book and see it as childlike and simplistic. But I suppose that Porcellino was paired specifically with Thoreau because the simplicity of his line echoes the simplicity of the text. I began to wonder if the story could have been improved it had been in color. Thus far the books created by The Center for Cartoon Studies have all been black and white. This cuts down on costs, but something about this book felt like it should have had color in it. Not gross shadings and undulating tones, but straightforward blues for the lake, greens for the trees, and the color of a huckleberry hanging off a bush. If any book deserved it, this one did.

I know that when some people read in Johnson's Introduction that Porcellino has reduced Thoreau's words to a minimum, they're going to be concerned. To what extent do you trust a comic book artist to adapt an American philosopher? Porcellino's Afterword addresses the changes that he has made, and it certainly put my heart at ease to hear him describe what he did. "All the words in this book, with a few exceptions (noted below), come directly from Thoreau's published writings (though I've taken the liberty of altering punctuation when necessary, and combining, and rearranging the quotations to make the story flow." To account for all of this he has a complete list of Quotation Sources at the end of the book detailing each quote and where it can be found "in editions of Thoreau's work that are currently in print and easily available." The book's last few pages also contain a map, Panel Discussions, and a Bibliography of works about both Walden and Thoreau.

Thoreau at Walden would pair beautifully with a high school or college course in which students had to read Walden on their own. I know that had I read this book (and its Introduction) when I was younger I might have been able to understand a lot more of what Thoreau was trying to say. Advocates of civil disobedience, environmentalism, simple living, vegetarianism, and more adore him. It only stands to reason that we should find ways to get his books into the hands of our children. And Thoreau at Walden is now the number one method of doing so. ... Read more

Product Description
In his graceful philosophical account, Alfred I. Tauber shows why Thoreau still seems so relevant today--more relevant in many respects than he seemed to his contemporaries. Although Thoreau has been skillfully and thoroughly examined as a writer, naturalist, mystic, historian, social thinker, Transcendentalist, and lifelong student, we may find in Tauber's portrait of Thoreau the moralist a characterization that binds all these aspects of his career together.

Thoreau was caught at a critical turn in the history of science, between the ebb of Romanticism and the rising tide of positivism. He responded to the challenges posed by the new ideal of objectivity not by rejecting the scientific worldview, but by humanizing it for himself. Tauber portrays Thoreau as a man whose moral vision guided his life's work. Each of Thoreau's projects reflected a self-proclaimed "metaphysical ethics," an articulated program of self-discovery and self-knowing. By writing, by combining precision with poetry in his naturalistpursuits and simplicity with mystical fervor in his daily activity, Thoreau sought to live a life of virtue--one he would characterize as marked by deliberate choice. This unique vision of human agency and responsibility will still seem fresh and contemporary to readers at the start of the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thoreau's Response to Post- Modernism
This is a book for two kinds of readers. Those who are particularly drawn to Thoreau will find a provocative thesis on which to hang all of his various pursuits. Tauber approaches him as a historian and philosopher of science, and shows how Thoreau was reacting against a rising tide of positivism - a form of radical objectivity -- to preserve his individualistic perspective on the world. Whether he was doing natural history or cultural history, Thoreau collected facts and assembled them to uniquely construct his own view of nature or culture. But Thoreau is only a foil for Tauber's larger purposes. Tauber's major theme is that all knowledge is value-laden and we choose the values by which to know the world and live in it. The fact/value distinction, so important in much of philosophy of science, is brought together here. This thesis is of interest, not only to understand Thoreau, but for a very much wider set of concerns. Tauber is charting out a post-critical understanding of the nature of knowledge, building on two philosophies: Michael Polanyi's "tacit mode" of understanding and Emanuel Levinas's ethical metaphysics. The first argues that the conditions that make knowing possible are not "foundational" or can ever be made explicit, but rather are embedded in individual experience and common social life; from this source, explicit knowledge is created. The second thesis maintains that values determine how we encounter the world and ultimately know it. These themes are not novel to contemporary philosophy, but when posed in present debates about the nature of reality, the claims of relativism, and the problematic status of the self, Tauber's synthesis offers a way out of the maze of postmodernism to new assertions about the primacy of the person. Thoreau is used to demonstrate how the postmodern challenge has its origins in the romanticism and that the responses offered then, when understood in the light of 20th century developments, takes on new significance. This is an ambitious book: The Thoreau lover will find some of the philosophy challenging and the philosophically inclined will find the focus on Thoreau potentially distracting. But each will find their efforts well paid: the first will understand Thoreau in a new way, and the second will see a philosophy enacted in a rarely realized illustration. ... Read more