Henry David Thoreau - have you read his writings?

**homesteadmamma** · 08-22-2002, 07:49 PM

Have any of you read any of his writings? What did you think?

**bmiltimore** · 08-23-2002, 04:19 PM

I read his stuff in college during my "Romanticism" class. I don't remember specifics but I really enjoyed all the authors/writers of that time.

**forestdale** · 02-16-2004, 11:59 PM

homesteadmomma, I've read 'on walden pond' and I loved it. I have never read any works of the other american transendentalist, Emerson. Have you?

I see that there's a book out now on sale at Amazon that is Thoreau's last manuscript, presumably lost till now. Have you heard anything about it?

This is the paragraph from "walden" that blew my mind and made me a thoreau fan for life:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, 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. 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 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. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to "glorify God and enjoy him forever."

It amazes me that any man can be so profound and yet write so beautifully.

**mrscornbread** · 02-17-2004, 01:29 AM

Breathtaking words indeed.

**aylasmommy** · 02-17-2004, 01:55 AM

I read at least one of his books in Honors English in highschool. I did enjoy most of it, but since I had so much homework I think I had to mostly skim it.

**Heather** · 02-17-2004, 06:54 AM

Love his writings.....VERY thought provoking and challenging. There are life changing thoughts in his teachings.

**homesteadmamma** · 02-17-2004, 08:39 AM

Originally posted by forestdale
homesteadmomma, I've read 'on walden pond' and I loved it. I have never read any works of the other american transendentalist, Emerson. Have you?

I see that there's a book out now on sale at Amazon that is Thoreau's last manuscript, presumably lost till now. Have you heard anything about it?

This is the paragraph from "walden" that blew my mind and made me a thoreau fan for life:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, 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. 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 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. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to "glorify God and enjoy him forever."

It amazes me that any man can be so profound and yet write so beautifully.

This is the paragraph that I've tried to live by over the past several years. It truly does amaze me that he wrote the way he did.

I always wonder how he truly did when he came back from Walden's Pond. I know that when the Treadways came back from their experience from Pioneer Quest (living in the bush for 1 full year as the pioneers did back in 1800), are to this day still struggling with coming back into the 21st century and that was only 1 year of their life. Thoreau spent several years of his life on the pond. He was an amazing man.

btw - I hadn't heard of the book your mentioning.

**guest2** · 02-17-2004, 10:13 AM

I love On Walden Pond. It's so peaceful just to read it!

**forestdale** · 02-17-2004, 02:01 PM

There is a small review of the latest Thoreau book here:

http://www.jjsbooks.net/cgi-bin/am/f...ype=AsinSearch

It was published in November 1999.

Another one of my favourite Thoreau quotes is:
"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes."

**Julie** · 02-18-2004, 10:20 AM

Have any of you who have enjoyed Mr. Thoreau also read David Grayson? From what little I have read, his writings sound quite similar to that of Mr. Thoreau.

**Katybird** · 02-18-2004, 10:55 AM

I love his writings. He writes from the heart and his words touch me. I find his "On Walden Pond" a true work of art. I have read and reread it several times and each time I get something new out of it. He was a very insightful man. I would love to have been able to talk to him after he came back from Walden Pond and discussed his thoughts on being back and find out if he wanted to return to Walden Pond. I think it must have been so hard for him to return and get back to the hub-bub of everyday life after the serenity and solitude of the WP.