Self-Reliance: The Wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson as Inspiration for Daily Living (Paperback)

~ Richard Whelan (Editor) "A LITTLE CONSIDERATION of what takes place around us every day would show us that a higher law than that of our will regulates events;..." (more)
Key Phrases: The Over-Soul, Spiritual Laws

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This abridgement of 16 of Emerson's essays claims to present the "essence of Emerson." By extracting what he considers to be Emerson's most spiritually satisfying passages, Whelan attempts to make him more accessible to those who may be inspired by his optimistic romanticism but balk at the sustained effort needed to read the full essays. The book aims to be popular, but that does not make the cavalier editing more palatable. Long passages are silently deleted from the essays; Emerson's substantial paragraphs are often divided into several bite-sized ones; and blocks of text are sometimes rearranged. Libraries that wish to strengthen their Emerson collection would be better off purchasing an additional copy of The Library of America volume of Emerson's essays and lectures, thereby giving their patrons the chance to decide for themselves which of Emerson's words offer the greatest sustenance.
- Steve Gowler, Wofford Coll. Lib., Spartanburg, S.C.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Emerson is the sweetest singer of our highest moments. For anyone in search of a tonic draft of his wisdom, this book, collecting some of his most radiant moods, is a rapture and an inspiration."
--Pico Iyer

"These selections from Emerson's essays, equally severe and consoling, are remarkably current in their wisdom. They are chosen with great care by Richard Whelan, and offer a special unextinguishable light."
-- Roger Rosenblatt -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1st edition (November 5, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051758512X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517585122
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #440,346 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally inspiring..., November 21, 2001

By A Customer

I cannot pick up this book without feeling encouraged and inspired. The editor has gone through and picked out some of the best passages from Emerson's works, thus saving us the trouble of wading through hundreds of pages of prose for the really good stuff. Everyone needs a copy of this book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly inspirational..., January 29, 2001

By	Angela Renzetti "jadeblosom" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the first book by Emerson that I've read, but hope to read more of his essays later. The book really is inspirational. Emerson is an excellent writer and his words flow together like nothing I've ever read. The essays in this book are pure poetry.... really beautiful. Even if you don't believe in the Transcendalist/Idealist view, you can still read this book and feel like you've gotten something out of it. I would recommend this for anyone who has a liking for beautiful writing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars he saved my life, September 12, 2009

By	Todd Mosley (philadelphia, mississippi) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

when i was in college, RWE literally saved my life. when i thought i was crazy for the ideas swimming around in my head, he showed me i was just connected into something greater than just my immediate surroundings. now that i am 45 years old, it was nice to reconnect with the words that changed my outlook on the world. this book was like sitting down and having conversations with an old friend. the book is broken into 1/2-page and 1-page chunks. it is very easy to grab the book, spend 10 or 20 minutes, and reenter this crazy world with a fresh and enlightened face. keep it in your car, your purse, your briefcase, your backpack, or next to your bed. you'll reach for it often.