Walden, or, Life in the Woods (Hardcover)

~ Henry David Thoreau (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 522 pages
• Publisher: Castle Books; Reprint edition (May 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785822224
• ISBN-13: 978-0785822226
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #106,140 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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8 of 8 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

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Thoreau!, July 6, 2009

By	Patsy Johnson "Patsy A. Johnson" (Hanceville, AL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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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!