I read this book about every five years or so in
order to take inventory of my personal life. Soon
I find myself forgetting about DVD players and software
applications and begin to focus upon bringing
my life much more in tune with the harmonics of
nature. Thoreau has the ability to cut through the
messages of nonstop consummerism and force the reader to
evaluate the cutural norms of greed and individualism.
Why is it so hard to accept that man is of this planet
and we must learn how to balance our species goals and
desires with those of the other species of life which
inhabit this biosphere?

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately," Thoreau writes in his most familiar work, WALDEN, "to front only the essential facts of life, and to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get to the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion" (p. 86). These were the words that forever changed my life when I first read WALDEN more than twenty years ago. I have since returned to WALDEN more than any other book.

Recently reading another Modern Library Paperback Classic, THE ESSENTIAL WRITINGS OF RALPH WALDO EMERSON, prompted me to revisit Thoreau in this new paperback edition of his collected writings. It opens with a revealing biographical Introduction to Thoreau (1817-1862) by his friend, Emerson. Thoreau "was bred to no profession, he never married" Emerson writes; "he lived alone; he never went to church; he never voted; he refused to pay a tax to the State; he ate no flesh, he drank no wine, he never knew the use of tobacco; and, though a naturalist, he used neither trap nor gun. He chose, wisely no doubt for himself, to be the bachelor of thought and Nature. He had no talent for wealth, and knew how to be poor without the least hint of squalor or inelegance" (p. xiii). This 802-page edition includes WALDEN in its entirety, together with other writings one would expect to find here, A WEEK ON THE CONCORD AND MERRIMACK RIVERS, "Walking," and "Civil Disobedience," among others.

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desparation" (p. 8), Thoreau wrote in 1854. Few would disagree that WALDEN remains relevant today. "Most men, even in this comparatively free country" Thoreau observed more than 150 years ago, "through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them. Their fingers, from excessive toil, are too clumsy and tremble too much for that" (p. 6). "Our life is frittered away by detail" (p. 86); Thoreau encourages us to "Simplify, simplify" (p. 87). "To be awake is to be alive," he tells us (p. 85). "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. It is not important that he should mature as soon as an apple tree or an oak" (p. 305). Truth be told, WALDEN is as much a about a state of mind as the place where Thoreau spent his "Life in the Woods," 1845-47.

WALDEN is among the ten best books I've ever read. Thoreau was a true American original thinker, and the writings collected here could change your life forever.

G. Merritt

As a professor of philosophy, I at one time regularly took classes of first year college students to Concord for a week-long intensive seminar on Emerson and Thoreau. I eventually abandoned the seminar, because I discovered that each class was progressively more hostile to what these two wonderful persons stood for. The ..... reviews written by young people of this edition of _Walden_ are, then, disconcertingly familiar to me. I obviously disagree with their evaluations of the book and of Thoreau's character. But what's interesting is why they have such a negative reaction to a book written, as Thoreau says, for young people who haven't yet been corrupted by society. What is it about the culture in which we live that encourages such hostility to his eloquent plea for simplicity? It's too facile to suggest that the backlash is motivated only by resentful pique at what's seen as Thoreau's condemnation of contemporary lifestyles, although I suspect this is part of the explanation. I'd be interested in reading the thoughts here of other readers who are likewise puzzled and disturbed by "Generation Y's" negative response to Thoreau.

If you're looking for easy, unchallenging reading about Thoroeau, this may be for you. It's nice armchair criticism that doesn't have much to admire, but not much to offend, either.

This book is a splendid natural history of how a writer--a great one--works, lives, and thinks. "The Book of Concord" is by far the best study available of Thoreau's massive Journal, that extraordinary seedbed of material from which his more formal books were crafted. Howarth does not romanticize Thoreau, nor is he an apologist; the book is both sympathetic and scrupulous, an anatomy of a soul, and of an imimitable American prose style, as original and provocative as its difficult, enigmatic subject.

I had read and enjoyed other essays by Joseph Wood Krutch before I ventured on to this biography of Henry David Thoreau, and I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed. The writing is fine, the essence of Thoreau appears, the major life details are all there, and Krutch is obviously familiar with his subject matter. But whenever he quotes the naturalist, he never includes specific citations locating those words. How frustrating for any reader who is enticed here by a turn of phrase or an idea and wants to pick up _Walden_ or Thoreau's _Journal_ to find them for himself / herself! If other sources or friends like Ralph Waldo Emerson or Ellery Channing are quoted, no further information on origin is provided. We have no clue where Krutch found those communications. He wasn't in Concord in the mid-1800s, so he must be repeating words written in other documents or published works. For the casual reader, maybe this major omission is not a problem. If you just want the basics of Thoreau's life and philosophies and writings, then maybe this volume is enough for you. But with no citation notes and no credits and no bibliography, I found it wasn't enough for me.

If you are sincerely interested in the man who is most often identified with Walden Pond and with the concept of civil disobedience, then pick up one of the classic biographies of him -- either _The Days of Henry Thoreau_ by Walter Harding or _Thoreau_ by Henry Seidel Canby. Those two volumes are a little longer and more extensive than Krutch's (especially Canby's), but they will serve you better. I believe they serve Thoreau better as well.

Joseph Wood Krutch, professor and conservationist, paints a word portrait of one of the great minds of American literature. Using source material from Henry David Thoreau's better known works, including Walden and A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, as well as depth materials from Thoreau's Journals, Krutch lets us inside Thoreau's thoughts and character. "Rich and full bodied", "an ornament of contemporary American criticism", and "brilliant" characterize the reviews from Dell Publishing, Saturday Review, and Commonweal. Rich and full bodied because Krutch carefully weaves a deepening apprehension of the dimension of the man through carefully selected examples of the way Thoreau's mind and thought process worked. An ornament because few critics capture the spirit let loose here. And brilliant because the book is packed with new information and insights. For any fan of Thoreau, and of good contemporary criticism, this is must reading.

"Traces of Thoreau" is a pretentious, self-congratulatory narrative, and rather a bore as a result. For this reviewer, it failed both as a personal story and as a descriptive work about Cape Cod.

The author just isn't as compelling to us as he clearly finds himself. (I strongly disagree with the editorial reviewer who said that Mr. Mulloney largely "absents himself from the narrative." It just isn't so.) Although he fancies himself a modern "H.T.," there's nothing particularly insightful about Mr. Mulloney's walk on the beach, which unfortunately leaves Cape Cod shortchanged as a subject. The book does contain some informative passages about natural history, but there are some great guidebooks that are much better in that regard.

This book would best have been kept as a personal journal. You know, the kind that gets tossed out when it is reread it in a few years and found embarrassing even to the author.

For really fun and insightful travel/nature writing, try Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"!

As I sat on the ferry steaming across to Martha'a Vineyard, I could not help but constantly gaze to the Northeast and attempt to see past the horizon to the Cape Cod beaches on which Mulloney was strolling. Admittedly, I have never read a page of Thoreau and I embarked on reading this book with some serious trepidation. However, I was more than pleased when I found myself along side him, watching the waves crash along the seashore, listening to the locals tell tales of how it used to be, and generally feeling right at home, even though I had never visited a single place he was describing. And to top it all off, his references to Thoreau ( or H.T. as Mulloney calls him) were not only clear and pertinent, they were solid enough that I now feel as if I am some sort of junior varsity expert on the Concord native. This is perfect summer New England beach reading. It's also perfect winter New England reading for when you're wishing you were at the beach. And it's perfec! t Autumn reading, for that was the season when Mulloney embarked upon his retracing of Thoreau's steps down America's outer rim. And I suppose I must say it's perfect Spring reading, for when you are preparing for the summer's events. "Traces of Thoreau" is summer escapist non-fiction reading at its best. It is a timeless work, to be appreciated for summers and summers to come. Enjoy.

Boston area readers should check out a review by a local columnist for a Dedham paper that in itself is a masterpiece in that it places Thoreau's book among the greats of late 1800s.

I found this to be an annoying book. The subject matter is intriguing but the author's style is so highfalutin, verbose and academic that little real wisdom is effectively imparted to the reader. This is ironic since his subject is Henry David Thoreau who took great care to write plainly. The best writing in the book is in the notes which serve as a good bibliography.

In purchasing this book, I was expecting to find something similar to the second volume of the Norton Anthology of American Literature. Unfortunately, I found this book to be far inferior. It has works by some of America's most highly commended authors, and has some great short stories. However, the excerpts from authors' longer works seem to be lacking; there should either be longer excerpts or more poingnat scenes should have been chosen. The anthology spends far too much time describing eras, and not enough in inserting major works. Some of the breakdowns/characterizations of the peices included are awkward, and tends to underrate the authors by putting them in sectionss that degrade their work.

This is not "Walden". Although some of the writing is very similar (especially to the "Economy" section of "Walden"), this book is too grating. For several pages, I find myself nodding my head in agreement. But, the short barbed attacks become too frequent and too spiteful to hold a lot of water.

It becomes more clear why some consider Thoreau hypocritical, although I do not (entirely) agree. However, this book would seem to paint him that way. For example, he complains that it is amazing how many people spend time to gossip about Mr. X when he wouldn't go around the corner to see the world explode. Well, how did he know of the gossip of Mr. X without having spent time on it. Not only that, he "wasted" time writing about it. Not only that, we spend time 150 years later reading about it!

Don't bother with this book -- read "Walden" instead.

Being one who visits the Golden Road almost yearly, I purchased the book with enthusiasm. My experience was mostly positive.

Gould demonstrates vast knowledge about the area. He describes: the realities of the Maine woods experience, personalities of the inhabitants, varieties of visitors, wildlife, history and industry.

One area of disappointment was Gould's frequent choice of vocabulary and references. While reading, a dictionary had to be at my side. Also, frequently used french, latin and some historical references made reading more difficult and not fun.

Mr. Gould did at times poke fun at his intellectual perspective. However, his choice of words does not seem suited for most.

All in all, the book is a positive experience. One can take a trip to Maine's Golden Road, from their favorite arm chair.

The 'Walden' is very interesting book

An adaptation of Smith's dissertation, this academic volume finds and interprets many incidents of walking found in Henry David Thoreau's writings, from his journal to his essays, from his poetry to his books. One can't help but wonder why.


The author advances his topic through general themes and the various ways in which Thoreau used walking: as the perfect transcendental physical and mental exercise; as the investigation of nature and the wider landscape; as a way to rid the mind and body of civilization in order to think straight; as a way to exhibit nonconformity and individuality; as a way to inspire writing or garnish income by surveying. I find it particularly curious that only two pages are devoted to surveying, which was one of Thoreau's primary means of support and which got him travelling around his town, learning the nooks and crannies of Concord properties, providing the walking experience while allowing him to unearth natural discoveries along the way. Surely that part of his life deserves more than a mere two pages of coverage, especially when he had to walk to do the job.


Perhaps the casual Thoreauvian will pluck this book off a shelf because the title sounds as though it might be a guidebook for applying Thoreau's philosophies to our lives today. Well, that gentle reader will be disappointed. By changing one word in the title, the author could have given us a better expectation of the content. If the subtitle instead read: "Thoreau and HIS search for self," then we would know that it's all about the famous naturalist's physical and introspective journeys, and not a model for our own. Smith sticks only to literary analysis. If he had gone that one step further -- both literally and figuratively -- and shown how Thoreau's experience can apply to our own search for self today, a person would have a real reason to pick up this book.


For it is painfully obvious that Smith has most likely never seen the places Thoreau visited. While Thoreau could claim, "I have traveled much in Concord," the reader gets the impression that Smith can't say the same. He sticks to literary analysis and never puts himself into the picture. In a passage on page 106, Thoreau is quoted as having earlier traversed "a rocky hillside where the sweet-fern grows for a mile." The casual reader might be interested in knowing that sweet-fern still grows on the northern rocky shore of Walden Pond; and when you squeeze a leaf between your fingertips, a lovely spicy scent stays with you for the rest of your walk. But Smith probably doesn't know that. Instead he spends four pages of the final chapter mentioning articles and books written by those who actually HAVE attempted to walk in Thoreau's footsteps. Thus this book appears to be written by someone who has READ quite a bit but has not DONE. And yet Thoreau is quoted on page 182: "The forcible writer stands bodily behind his words with his experience. He does not make books out of books, but he has been *there* in person." Evidently Smith read and copied those words but did not heed their admonishment.


The text itself saunters along. It isn't broken by subheadings for emphasis or for easy reference, and no index is included, so its academic usefulness is limited. This book is not designed in a way to be accessible to scholars, and it's not written with contemporary lifestyle application in mind. So the question on the reader's mind is: Why should we care? Or, Why am I reading this? Hmmm. Why, indeed.


I should mention that I found Smith's list of sources moderately useful. Some interesting titles about walking or about Thoreau appear in the bibliography, and they are worthy of further investigation. So my investment in purchasing this volume was not a total loss.


Here's the coup de grace: A lovely ethereal photo of the North Bridge graces the cover, providing yet another temptation for the casual reader to believe that held within are the secrets of how we can use Henry David Thoreau's writings in order to live our lives today. For of course the savvy Thoreauvian knows that while the North Bridge is indeed an historical symbol of Concord, Massachusetts, no bridge existed in that spot from 1793 to 1875. Thoreau (1817-1862) would not have and could not have walked its expanse. Ah, the irony.