Walden, Or, Life in the Woods

by Henry David Thoreau and illustrated by Ethelbert White: Henry David Thoreau

Book Overview

Nature was a form of religion for naturalist, essayist, and early environmentalist Henry David Thoreau (1817-62). In communing with the natural world, he wished to "live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and ... learn what it had to teach." Toward that end Thoreau built a cabin in the spring of 1845 on the shores of Walden Pond -- on land owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson -- outside Concord, Massachusetts. There he observed nature,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486284956
• ISBN13: 9780486284958
• Release Date: April 1995
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 224 Pages
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Super boring!!

Thought this would be a nice read. Boy, I was wrong.

Love Thoreau!

Henry David Thoreau's writings have always been a favorite of mine. His life in the woods shows us busy folks to slow down and take life easier. His philosophy lives on. I ordered the hard back version to keep. Great book!

Stunning edition!

I will not comment on Walden itself, because that is a matter whether you accept it to be a classic or not. My review is on the quality of this edition, which is superb. The book is a pleasure to hold--the paper is heavy and smooth, the print is sharp, and the award-winning illustrations are an added bonus. Unlike the other hardcover bindings out there, this is not an annotated version, so you get a pure uncluttered copy of the masterwork itself.

The Map Back to Eden

After I crashed and burned in a college intro to philosophy course, I wanted to see if I could find a work by someone who was both a thinker and a writer.Thoreau, in his book Walden, proves himself to be it.Walden is the narrative of the author's two year stay at the aforementioned pond. He has decided to live life simply, and in a collection of loosely connected essays, he describes the people, animals, and the pond that make up his new home. If you haven't spent real time out in nature, you might think this book is ridiculous. But go into the woods, and stay there until boredom and longing for the city stops. Just then you'll realize the awe he felt when examining the ice bubbles and listening to vagabond squirells. Thoreau has rediscovered the patches of Eden that still exist in the world. And if we are open-minded enough to listen to his instructions, we can find our way back to them.Even if his insights into the idyllic perfection in nature fail to sway you to live more lightly in the world, Thoreau will open your eyes to the benefits of philosophy. He understands the man who marches to the beat of a different drummer, and shows through his clear, crisp text the results that thought and contemplation can hold for anyone.

The cheese stands alone (and in the woods)

This book screams simplicity! In this book, Henry David Thoreau takes an extended look beyond human nature and human habit. He brings forth a new and exciting view point on life and teaches how to live in happiness without the confusion of mechanical materials. I had to read this book for a 9th grade Language Arts assignment, and I had never heard of Walden or Thoreau before this project was assigned. When I completed this book, I felt very refreshed. It encouraged me to take a second look at my own life, and simply discard of the things which were causing complications or confusion. This book stretched past the limits and capacity of my mind as a 9th grade student. It forced me to think. Judging by the majority of my peers, I am convinced that anything that would force them to THINK harder, deserves 5 shining stars.