Walking

By Henry David Thoreau and David Thoreau Henry

Book Overview

"I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil--to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society. I wish to make an extreme statement, if so I may make an emphatic one, for there are enough champions of civilization: the minister and the school committee and every one of you will take care of that."

Henry David Thoreau, noted transcendentalist, wrote Walking as a message of the battle between the importance of nature and the pull of the demands of society, while at the same time writing his other environmental work, Walden.

First delivered by Thoreau in 1851, Walking, or also known as The Wild, this essay was not only popular with the public, but also considered by Thoreau himself as, "... a sort of introduction to all that I may write hereafter."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1945644230
• ISBN13: 9781945644238
• Release Date: April 1851
• Publisher: Chump Change
• Length: 42 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Moby-Dick Walks

When I was in a hospital for 6 months, all I did was read this book by Henry David Thoreau. I longed to get outside and walk in the forest and smell the fresh dung of deer, stings of arachnoids and odor of skunks. I couldn't figure out the cryptic meaning the book posits at all. It's my own belief that nature might be a "woman" and Walking might be copulation but he also mentions porcupines in it, so at times I am left clueless. Most of the animals he mentions are now extinct, he was writing in 1825 after Charles Robert Darwin (English naturalist) dropped him off in Maine. I'm not sure if Thoreau was 'lost' and couldn't get back to NYC or if he was just going around in circles. If you're a zoologist, it might be worth your while to try to guess what animals he writes about. Most of the forests he mentions are now developed or industrial swathes of land, forming bland suburban zones and polluting factories. Henry David Thoreau lived on the largest island of Elba where he was killed by the USA government for not paying his taxes on rum. A good read for people of any weight. Moby-Dick or, The Whale (Penguin Classics)

Still Relevant

The words of Thoreau are familiar to all those who have experienced life in the woods. His philosophies and observations are just as relevant today as they were when he first wrote them. In more eloquent words Thoreau explains how In the woods and wild places we find fuel for the soul. Without them we become stagnant in physicality and mentality. I recommend this book to anyone interested in conservation.

Walking

Required reading for freshmen entering SUNY Geneseo in preparation for an Adirondack Adventure. Bought this version after inadvertantly getting an abridged Walking.

In defense of wilderness

More than any book, this argues for experiencing nature and preserving wilderness. Thoreau himself saw that fewer passenger pigeons were visiting and even then was aware of threats. Though first spoken in lectures on 1851, and 1856-1857, and published in June 1862 Atlantic Monthly, a month after his death, it still speak to us in the 21st century. For example ".. what would become of us, if we walked only in a garden or a mall?", . "In wilderness is the preservation of the world." , "To preserve wild animals implies generally the creation of a forest for them to dwell in or resort to. So it is with man". So lace up your shoes, grab your binoculars, and go for a walk and join the tribe of squirrels!

It helped to open my eyes to the world around me!

It is a perfect little book to carry with you for inspiration. It makes me want to take a walk... and the beautiful thing about this book is that it allows me to take a walk in my mind without ever leaving my office or room. I have and will continue to read it over and over.