Walden: Or, Life in the Woods [Paperback]

Henry David Thoreau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 1960

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately," wrote Henry David Thoreau, "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." In what is perhaps the greatest classic of American literature, Thoreau describes his woodland experience and the lessons he learned in a tiny cabin at the immortal Walden Pond. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 & Up--Henry David Thoreau's classic, first published in 1854 and reporting on his experiences at the eponymous site where he lived in physical and social independence during the mid-1840's, receives refreshing treatment here. William Hope reads leisurely but with feeling, offering listeners the illusion that the author is speaking directly to them. The abridgements are not substantive, so listeners will feel that they have become acquainted with the complexities of a text that is both orderly and sprinkled with irony and other literary devices. The chapters are tastefully set off by musical interludes that complement Thoreau's own rhythms. Not only is this an excellent alternative for students assigned to read the text that is often offered in tiny print without benefit of margins, but it is also possible to suggest this to thoughtful teens who are seeking an intellectually engaging listening experience for their personal enjoyment. Hope's pacing invites readers with minimal skills to accompany their print foray with his narration. The careful editing here assures that they will not become lost between page and sound.
Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

Together, the essays are a minicourse in Thoreau and the trends he launched in American thought. -- Nancy Szokan, Washington Post Book World --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Anchor (May 24, 1960)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385095031
• ISBN-13: 978-0385095037
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,371,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

156 of 161 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reflecting Pond, January 7, 2000

By 

Nancy Wisser "proponent of golden, timeless m... (Nazareth, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walden (Paperback)

Walden, what is it? Is it a book on nature, a book on ecology, a book on human nature, a prescient description of the struggle between modern civilization and the land that nurtured it, a critique of mankind, a string of quotable gems, an account of a mind, or, like Star Wars, a way of slipping a deep and human spirituality into someone else's mind without their recognizing it? It depends on who is doing the reading and when. Read it for any of these purposes, and it will not disappoint. If you've never read it, read it. If you read it for class years ago and hated it, read it again. This may be the most subtle, multi-layered and carefully worked piece of literature you'll ever find. By keeping the down-to-earth tone (no doubt in reaction to the high-flying prose of his friend, R.W. Emerson) Thoreau pulls a Columbo, and fools us into thinking he's writing simply about observing nature, living in a cabin, or sounding a pond. Somehow by the end of Walden, however, you may find it is your self he has sounded. People have accused Thoreau of despising mankind, but read deeper and you will discover he loved people well enough to chide us, show us our faults (admitting he's as bad as the worst of us), and give to all of us this wonderful gift, a book you could base your life on. There is more day to dawn, he reminds us at the end: the sun is but a morning star.

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cheese stands alone (and in the woods), October 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Walden (Library Binding)

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.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Worth Keeping, January 27, 2009

By 

Emily Anne (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Walden Or, Life in the Woods (Hardcover)

I buy books in hardcover when I want them to last, when I know we will be life-long friends. "Walden" is one of those books, and this edition published by Castle Books is truly lovely.

Henry David Thoreau is, of course, quite famous for his Walden experiment and his name immediately invokes that of a lonely hermit living in a hut on the outskirts of society. This myth, however, is far from accurate. For one thing, Thoreau never intended to become a recluse, but he did desire to put into action--to literally prove--how living in nature could bring us closer to our higher selves.

Philosopher Erick Erickson, in saying that "Every person should have a Walden," testifies to the metaphorical nature of Thoreau's experiment. For Thoreau, the two years spent living at Walden Pond represented an inner journey in which he spiritually connected with nature and created a place--a personal Walden--inside of his soul.

Thoreau's metaphysical journey began with his recognition of the interrelatedness of all life. It was not enough that he engross himself in nature; he had to see himself as a vital part of it. Thus, in "Walden" he writes, "Shall I not have intelligence with the earth? Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mold myself?"

Even more importantly, internalizing a place like Walden Pond meant seeing the connectedness of even the "negative" aspects of nature. For example, when he imagines the seeds he planted in the ground rotting because of too much rain he says, "it would still be good for the grass on the uplands, and, being good for the grass, it would be good for me." In this way, Thoreau is able to recreate any negativity he finds at Walden and turn it into something positive by focusing on the unity of all nature and seeing everything as a symbol of the self.

This is easier said then done and Thoreau willingly recognizes the difficulty of finding connections in the natural world, even at a site of pastoral beauty such as Walden Pond. But in spite of the difficulties, he stresses solitude and self-discovery because he believes that only by actively exploring our inner lives can we become aware enough to see the bonds which link all things.

In his conclusion to "Walden" he asks us, "What does Africa--what does the West stand for? Is not our own interior white on the chart?" How, he implores us, can we ever hope to see the connections between things if we have yet to investigate our own souls?

"Nay," he commands, "be a Columbus to whole new worlds within you, opening new channels, not of trade, but of thought." Thus, Thoreau urges us to embark on a voyage of self-discovery that will help us truly participate in nature by seeing ourselves as "part and parcel" of it. "Explore [yourselves]" he urges us, and uncover "the perennial source of life" through nature.

It is not an easy path to follow, but luckily Thoreau does not recommend that we follow his path exactly. We don't need to purchase a secluded cabin and turn our backs on civilization (although that sounds nice at times!); we just need to get off the "beaten track" and to immerse ourselves in our own special, wild places.

Re-reading "Walden" this last week I was reminded of the need to do so every couple of years. I'm looking forward to having this forest green volume around for a long time.