Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau [Hardcover]

Kenny Luck (Author), Jay Luke (Illustrator), Ren Adams (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 19, 2010 | ISBN-10: 098225654X | ISBN-13: 978-0982256541

On July 4, 1845, when Henry David Thoreau moved into his cabin on the shores of Walden Pond, he was probably unaware that his abode in the woods, and the impact and influence of that endeavor, would forever echo through time. Thoreau was an uncompromising idealist; an ardent maverick who criticized his fellow man. He urged that men and women ought to live more simply, and more deliberately. "The mass of men," he famously wrote, "lead lives of quite desperation." Yet the scope of Thoreau's message is much wider than social criticism. He speaks of spiritual transcendence in Nature and the unbounded potential of the individual. Thoreau is a dreamer and he speaks to dreamers. In a word, shun dogmatism and demagoguery; see beyond the immediate conventional religious explanations to reap a higher understanding. In our commodified contemporary American society, with the rise of religious intolerance and fundamentalism, materialism and mass consumerism, Thoreau's message is needed now more than ever. Author Kenny Luck has thumbed through Thoreau's voluminous journals, correspondences and other publications to make this the most comprehensive collection of Thoreau aphorisms available.

Editorial Reviews

Review

As a historian who has made the study of Henry Thoreau my main interest for almost 15 years, I have always found his writings to be very modern. This book of Thoreau's quotations, all of which were written 150 years ago, are indeed very timely for today's modern, over-worked, overstressed and over-materialistic world. Thoreau's ideas about the search for a simpler way of life ring truer now then they did in the nineteenth century! --Richard Smith, The Thoreau Society, historian, Concord, Massachusetts

Provides a convenient and attractively formatted focus on the influential thoughts of the quotable Thoreau. --Brent Harold, Cape Cod Times columnist, author of upcoming Thoreau inspired novel, Life as a House

This attractively illustrated book presents a rich collection of Thoreau's thoughts on topics such as society, spirituality and nature. The editor has distilled the essence of Thoreau's thoughts into a compact, well-edited collection drawn from a wide range of Thoreau's writings. --Richard Dillman, professor of American literature, St. Cloud State University, Minnesota

About the Author

Kenny Luck is a graduate student at Marywood University in Scranton, Pa., and holds a Bachelor's Degree in History & Political Science from the same institution. He writes for The Weekender an arts and entertainment weekly and The Independent. He is currently working on his second book. He enjoys recording music, book browsing and travel.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tribute Books (April 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098225654X
• ISBN-13: 978-0982256541
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,100,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thumbing Through Thoreau, September 7, 2010

By 

D. Baker "booknook516" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau (Hardcover)

"...simplify the problem of life, distinguish the necessary and the real. Probe the earth to see where your main roots run." P160

Thoreau is known for his urgings of man to live simply and honestly. So often we get so caught up in our possessions that we miss the everyday miracles that life bestows. Kenny Luck has put together a beautiful rendition of quotes both famous and less known that encourage us to pause and remember our journey and through our recognition of life around us to improve ourselves.

Thumbing Through Thoreau is a collection of quotations taken from Thoreau's journals, writings, and personal letters. Kenny Luck, a journalist, compiled the quotes to address a variety of subjects that include society & government, spirituality & nature, and love. The book is timely and relevant to today. It is beautifully crafted and easily accessible. As a teacher it is a book that I might use in conjunction with studies of Thoreau and Emerson in the classroom. As an admirer of Thoreau I found the book to be fresh and exciting. I have enjoyed reacquainting myself with these concepts. The book will sit nearby on my desk so that I might grab it at any moment and find inspiration for the day.

Excerpt from book's Introduction:

As I stood on the edge of Walden Pond, about to make a symbolic leap into what had become in my mind a scared place, Hawthorne's poetic observation was not present in my thoughts. For a summer day, it was unusually cold; a light mist rose above the surface of the water; and having forgotten my towel and bathing suit at home in Pennsylvania, I was forced to strip down, making do with what I was wearing in that revealing moment. I hung my clothes on a nearby tree branch and began inching my way toward the water. It was a ritual Henry David Thoreau, one of America's first literary giants, had performed countless times during his stay in the woods.

It was June 2007, and this was my second trip to Walden Pond. I had visited the previous summer but resolved only to walk along the shoreline, avoiding the seduction of the water. "This time," I thought to myself, "I am going in." Although I was initially reluctant, once the water rose past by waistline, I felt an extraordinary release. I made one final push off the rock where I was standing and let go. I let the water take me. Feeling free from constraints, I had transformed into one of Hawthorne's angels, baptized by the clear, cool waters of the pond.

My experience at Walden Pond that day was emblematic. It was the culmination of a two-year journey which led me to Concord, Massachusetts, where I hoped to retrace the steps of a man who I had never met, but felt an extraordinary affinity towards. Moreover, I saw a little bit of myself in Thoreau. Here was a man who, despite the conventions of his day, shunned every comfort and convenience. Thoreau once refused to take a doormat, for instance, offered to him by an elderly woman, hoping to avoid what he called the "beginnings of evil." It seemed like something I would have done had I not read about it first. For the first time in my young life, I met my literary and intellectual soul mate.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Thoreau Enthusiasts, September 2, 2010

By 

A. McNeil "Wolfshowl" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau (Hardcover)

This is one of those coffee table books that most people will know right away whether it's up their alley or not, and there honestly isn't that much to say about it in a review. If you really enjoy Thoreau, then an illustrated book of his quotes will probably be something you'll like. However, personally, much as I like Thoreau, the illustrations don't particularly strike my fancy, so I feel that this book fails to impress. That may be partly due to the fact that I'm a local and have been to Walden Pond multiple times myself, and I find that black and white line drawings tend to, in general, fail to live up to photography of nature. Art is definitely relative though, so you might quite enjoy the illustrations. You can check out galleries of sample illustrations here and here and decide for yourself.

Overall, I'd recommend a print copy of this book to fans of Thoreau who also enjoy the illustrations. It's not for me, but I'm sure it will strike the fancy of some people quite well.

5.0 out of 5 stars Letting Thoreau be Thoreau, November 4, 2011

By 

adventures of frugal mom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thumbing Through Thoreau: A Book of Quotations by Henry David Thoreau (Hardcover)

Thumbing through Thoreau is a breath of fresh air for a Thoreau reader like myself. Instead of analyzing Thoreau's writing Kenny Luck just let's Throreau be Thoreau. The reader is allowed to enjoy Thoreau's thoughts without having to be told what they should think or feel about the writings.

I love how the book was divided by subjects. The book would be good for anyone who is looking for an awesome quote to include in a letter to a friend or a quick note to a coworker.

Thumbing Through Thoreau is a refreshing collection of quotations. The best thing about this book is that you can tell that Luck admires Thoreau through the love and care he used to compile this quotes and to caterorize them by subject is no easy task. This book is a must have for any Henry David Thoreau fan. I am glad that I had the opportunity to be a host this book on the blog tour, Thumbing Through Thoreau.