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Walden & Civil Disobedience: Introduction by Verlyn Klinkenbourg Paperback – 15 August 2014
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Henry David Thoreau's account of his adventure in self-reliance on the shores of a pond in Massachusetts-part social experiment, part spiritual quest-is an enduringly influential American classic.
In 1845, Thoreau began building a cabin at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. The inspiring and lyrical book that resulted is both a record of the two years Thoreau spent in withdrawal from society and a declaration of personal independence. By virtue of its casual, offhandedly brilliant wisdom and the easy splendor of its nature writing, Thoreau's account of his immersion in solitude has become a signpost for the modern mind in an increasingly bewildering world.
Also included in this edition is Thoreau's famous essay, "Civil Disobedience," inspired by his anti-war and anti-slavery sentiments, which has influenced nonviolent resistance movements around the world ever since.
- ISBN-100804171564
- ISBN-13978-0804171564
- Edition1st
- PublisherKNOPF US
- Publication date15 August 2014
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions13.06 x 1.78 x 20.19 cm
- Print length336 pages
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- Publisher : KNOPF US; 1st edition (15 August 2014)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0804171564
- ISBN-13 : 978-0804171564
- Dimensions : 13.06 x 1.78 x 20.19 cm
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
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David Thoreau, better known as Henry David Thoreau, was an American essayist, poet, philosopher, and naturalist. He was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts, and was the third of four children. Thoreau grew up in a family of modest means but received a good education, attending Harvard University from 1833 to 1837.
After graduating from college, Thoreau began teaching at a public school in Concord, but he soon became disillusioned with the education system and left after only two weeks. He then turned to writing, and in 1845, he published his best-known work, “Walden; or, Life in the Woods,” which chronicled his experiences living alone in a cabin he had built on the shores of Walden Pond. To read Walden: https://amzn.to/3J3QYyV
Thoreau was deeply influenced by the transcendentalist movement, which emphasized individualism, self-reliance, and a close relationship with nature. He also became involved in the abolitionist movement and was a strong advocate for civil disobedience as a means of protesting unjust laws.
Thoreau’s other notable works include “Civil Disobedience,” an essay in which he argues that individuals have a moral obligation to resist unjust laws, and “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers,” a travelogue that he wrote with his brother, John Thoreau.
Thoreau’s health began to decline in the 1850s, and he died on May 6, 1862, at the age of 44, of tuberculosis. Despite his relatively short life, Thoreau’s influence has been enormous, and he is considered one of the most important figures in American literature and philosophy.
Biography and Preface written by Frédéric Deltour, French Author and Spiritual Guide.
He shares with us his ideas about Thoreau's writings:
"Some of the benefits that readers can expect from reading “Walden” include a greater sense of inner peace, a deeper connection with nature, and an increased appreciation for the simple things in life. By adopting Thoreau’s philosophy of simplicity and detachment, readers can learn to let go of the things that hold them back and live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
“Walden” is a call to simplicity, environmentalism, and spirituality. It is an important read for those seeking to better understand the importance of nature in our daily lives and how our relationship with it can help us find greater meaning and inner peace."
"Civil disobedience" is a revolutionary call to action. It is a call to reject the status quo, to rise up and reclaim our rights, autonomy, and dignity. It is a manifesto for civil disobedience and the rejection of unjust laws.
This book is an invitation to rebel against the status quo and to create a better world for all. It is a call to put our principles before our fears and to stand up for what is right. Civil disobedience is the path to a better future and this book will show you how to take that path."
Photo by Benjamin D. Maxham active 1848 - 1858 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Customer reviews
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Reviewed in Brazil on 2 April 2023
I plastic wrapped it, as the rim of the paper cover seems like it might fall apart after long use (especially for a reader who, like me, has sweaty hands), and because I always prefer plastic wrapped covers.
Love the edition: easy to read, small, cheap, great literature!
Reviewed in Spain on 24 February 2024
I plastic wrapped it, as the rim of the paper cover seems like it might fall apart after long use (especially for a reader who, like me, has sweaty hands), and because I always prefer plastic wrapped covers.
Love the edition: easy to read, small, cheap, great literature!
When I read those four pages, I did not know who the writer was. I came to know about it many years afterwards. I simply cannot describe the feeling when I read those four pages. It was a revelation. As if one was experiencing a cool breeze after a scorching, humid, itching, heat. A cool breeze that was soothing not only the body, but the soul as well. All of us know what a feeling it is when something goes deep inside the soul. It is something very beyond emotion. Indescribable.
As I see from Walden, (for me), Thoreau is the highest level a human can aspire for.
We call US a super power (we have animal belief about Might over Right).It is worth mentioning what Thoreau wrote about it He called America ‘a nation ruined by luxury and heedless expense’. This is what we see today. He also gave a ‘Covid cure’–‘ and the only cure for it (America) as for them (the households in America) is in a rigid economy, a more than Spartan like simplicity of life and elevation of purpose’. One fails to understand why we love weapons, war and destruction.
I see many similarities between Thoreau and our beloved MK Gandhi. I would like to mention a few of them here.
1. There is only one education, that of character.
2. They were all soul, believed that body is maintained by soul. Ate bare minimum.
3. Were free from desires, believed desires to be bonds.
4. There is only ONE development-that of our soul. External development is superficial. Everything resides inside ourselves.
5. Both were extreme lovers of Mother Nature. They drew inspiration from Mother Nature.
6. They would never like to see anyone ‘following them’. In Thoreau’s words-‘let everyone endeavor to be what he was made for.’
7. They both loved Solitude. I think they would both have lived in the woods for their entire life, had they not resolved to battle Might over Right by Civil Disobedience.
8. They never sermonized. They demonstrated what they stood for.
9. They spoke in everyday simple language.
As regards riches and rich people, Thoreau used to say, ’That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.’ In our ‘new world’ we see richness in only money. We do not even see how it was earned. Such thinking is despicable.
I would like to thank two reviewers for their comments which are as follows:
(a)"Rather than love, money, faith, fame and fairness.. Give me truth
(b) In the life-affirming, must-read-before-you-die category.
In Walden, Thoreau has used the pronoun ‘I‘ very often. I see a very deep meaning in it. Only when we are truthful can we can say, ‘I am doing this, and this’. It is a clear sign of experimenting instead of playing with words, which most of us do. It is very easy to say ‘You’ because then the buck passes from myself, and I can easily say, ‘People should do like this and that’ .
At times, tears come out of my eyes when I think of Walden and Thoreau. I thank Mother Nature for Thoreau and Walden.