Walden

Written by Henry David Thoreau

Narrated by Nick Bulka

Walden (first published as Walden; or, Life in the Woods) is an American book written by noted transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and manual for self-reliance. First published in 1854, it details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond, amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. The book compresses the time into a single calendar year and uses passages of four seasons to symbolize human development.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author's Republic
• Release date: Apr 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781518925658

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American writer, thinker, naturalist, and leading transcendental philosopher. Graduating from Harvard, Thoreau’s academic fortitude inspired much of his political thought and lead to him being an early and unequivocal adopter of the abolition movement. This ideology inspired his writing of Civil Disobedience and countless other works that contributed to his influence on society. Inspired by the principals of transcendental philosophy and desiring to experience spiritual awakening and enlightenment through nature, Thoreau worked hard at reforming his previous self into a man of immeasurable self-sufficiency and contentment. It was through Thoreau’s dedicated pursuit of knowledge that some of the most iconic works on transcendentalism were created.

Reviews for Walden

[Perry Mcdonalds · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Walden; or, Life in the Woods" is a timeless meditation on the human experience and our connection to the natural world. Thoreau's eloquent prose and profound insights continue to resonate with readers seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.

[Murielle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Walden" has had a lasting impact on literature, philosophy, and environmental thought. It has inspired generations of readers to reconsider their relationship to nature, to question the pursuit of material wealth, and to embrace the value of simplicity and self-discovery.

[kenny · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoreau's writing is characterized by its lyrical prose, keen powers of observation, and philosophical depth. He encourages readers to question the conventions of society and to seek a more authentic and purposeful way of life.

[Kaleb Daniels · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Walden" is a blend of autobiography, philosophical treatise, and nature writing. Thoreau recounts his daily experiences, observations of the natural environment, and musings on topics ranging from economy and work to society and spirituality.

[Arthur Carpenters · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoreau built a small cabin near Walden Pond, where he lived in solitude, growing his own food, observing nature, and reflecting on the rhythms of the natural world.

[Roldan Mamaspas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The audiobook chronicles Thoreau's attempt to live a life of voluntary simplicity, seeking to strip away the trappings of materialism and consumerism in favor of a more deliberate and meaningful existence.

[Shiella D. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Walden" explores themes of simplicity, solitude, contemplation, and the quest for spiritual fulfillment amidst the distractions of modern society.

[Shiembie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoreau's writing reflects the principles of transcendentalism, a philosophical movement that emphasized the importance of individualism, self-reliance, and the spiritual connection between humanity and nature.

[maxernst11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In al zijn onvolkomenheid toch een werk dat je niet loslaat. Thoreau wilde niet zozeer weg van de beschaving, hij deed wel een spirituele zoektocht naar zichzelf, met innige contact via de natuur. De zwakheid van het werk is dat het eerder een compilatiewerk is, er is geen coherent grondplan, en soms onmogelijke metaforen. Desondanks intrigerend.

[johnthefireman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A classic and inspiring book about living a simple life.

[Jennifer Fry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 stars for the last chapter alone. Hide away in a solitary corner of the natural world and tuck in deeply until you finish this timeless classic. As prescient now as ever and needed as a reminder to all contemporary humanists and naturalists alike, to return to their core of being.

[rontyler-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I live in a suburban neighborhood, it’s quiet and the lots are a nice size. The lot has a small tract of woods beyond the back yard, and the property ends at a creek. So even though I’m in a suburban neighborhood, It’s easy for me to imagine (I pretend a lot) that I’m in or near the woods and alone, as I never see, and hardly ever hear, the closest human neighbors. As I was reading Thoreau, I realized that this is my Walden. This book is amazing, and I was struck by how coincidentally similarly I’ve been considering the natural goings-on in my yard and woods while I pass much of my day on the porch. Especially the local wildlife that visits here: the crows, the squirrels (my favorite to watch), deer and their young feeding just beyond the fence, owls during the night, the occasional armadillo (always seen or heard at night). And now the songbirds are returning, too. It’s been nice to have such activity, easily observed from the porch.

Reading this book put me in a very relaxed, calm state. Reflective and undisturbed, easy to think or not think and just watch the natural world going about its business. Thoreau is wonderful and I highly recommend this book. I know it is one I will frequently re-read.

[imperfectcj · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm probably a horrible person who will never be able to fully embrace simple living because I can't get through Walden. I know Thoreau has some gems in there, but they're just hidden in the middle of so many words. I found it mind-numbingly boring.

I first started reading it to get a sense for New England when I discovered that we were moving here. I did the same thing with Wallace Stegner's The Gathering of Zion when we moved to Utah and Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona when we lived in California, both times with great results. With Walden, however, I didn't have such a great experience.

After a few months trying to trudge through, I decided to keep reading it because everyone says that you have to read Walden if you're going to embrace the principles of voluntary simplicity. I disagree. I think something like Duane Elgin's Voluntary Simplicity might be a better choice for someone hoping to get inspired towards simple living in the 21st century.

In the end, I decided to simplify my life by removing this book from my currently-reading list so it could no longer taunt me there. If you're reading this review and have recommendations for books that will give an overall sense of the culture and history of New England (the stuff in the nearly 400 years since the Mayflower), please leave a comment.

[therebelprince · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Devastatingly wonderful. I had read parts of this at uni, of course, but never the whole work. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, or perhaps many, but it is the heart of a movement which I hold very dear.

[autumnesf · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I must be the only person that found this boring - but I did.

[m.belljackson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Henry leads off pretty deeply against farmers, many of the pre-corporate ones who may well have been happy with their lives.(Had to look up "Flying Childers.")He moves on with intriguing ideas for students to build their own schools,a plan which Booker T. Washington greatly expanded!

[s_grace-106807 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book connects to my human experience immeasurably. If you grew up in a conservative Christian environment the book will perhaps lead to a born-again experience and a baptism and resurrection to new life apart form popular forms of American religion. Thoreau's relationship with the divine is beyond the piety of any Christian I've met and the his wisdom pours out everywhere, like a new Jesus preaching the kingdom of heaven to come on earth. A man of deep spiritual insight into the natural world of all sorts of animals, especially of human animals, Thoreau recounts the insights he learned while living in the woods for a short time and rejecting common social conventions. Spirituality here is connected to the earth from whence it was created. Nothing is free of criticism, especially not even the pro-next, anti-this, life Christian religion. If you like this book, you might want to get a hold of "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers" by the same author.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book and have read it many times, I don't believe that any other book I've read has had as much influence over me. I remember reading it for the first time and just feeling that I knew exactly that what Thoreau was saying was true. A real minimalist before his time, not just for his economy however he knew how to spend the time that he had gained, luckily he realized this early in life as he didn't have nearly enough time.

[booklove2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had been meaning to read this for a few summers! Finally got around to it. I wanted nature, nature, nature. And yes, the most memorable stuff here is about nature: the ant war, the crafty loon, the upside down tree in the lake, the winged cat which is apparently a thing? Otherwise, I could do without the preachiness, and the above-it-all attitude he has towards other people... he was thirty when he wrote this, and it does seem that way. He needed some aging, maybe, but he did have some lovely things to say if you could ignore some of the other things he had to say. I love that he noticed the day is like a year, like I did a long time ago: spring/dawn, summer/noon, autumn/dusk, winter/night. YES. Also, with no mention of all those trees he burned down... which would have been interesting.

[paul_s-289480 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Mostly trite observations and nihilism dressed up as romanticism. Stealing nuts from squirrels is a novel experience but rather unilluminating to read about.

[lgcullens · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Here again, adding books as I remember them, I read this book as an early teen on a remote ranch in western Wyoming (early 1950s). Beyond the differences in community and geography, I remember reading this book several times, so I must have been interested in aspects of it. One part I vaguely remember is Thoreau trying to persuade a penniless farmhand to free himself of his employers and creditors by living a simple, independent life in the woods. Of course, with human population exponentially greater now, such isn't a viable alternative for most anymore.A confluence of influences at the time was the more natural world culture of Shoshone friends. Still a book worth reading.

[obtusata · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Admittedly, I pretty much gave up on this after the first (very lengthy) chapter. I stopped focusing on it and eventually just skipped to the last chapter. It was an audiobook version, and I think part of the problem was the reader (slow, too many annoying and un-needed pauses, almost breathy - just bad to listen to). But, I've read about the book and the importance of the book many times, so I decided that I knew enough and that it was ok to call it quits.

[jigarpatel-6 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The first chapter, Economy, is mildly interesting and I enjoyed it in a haze of self-congratulatory glee. From then onwards, Thoreau's urge to preach via forced metaphors becomes increasingly tiresome. Half way through I gave up and skipped to Conclusion.

[sweetiegherkin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Thoreau set aside all worldly things and spent time in a small self-made home along the large pond known as Walden. Here he wrote down his musings on the natural world and everything else after spending so much time in near solitude.This book is a classic and one of the titles on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list, so it was only a matter of time before I finally got around to it. I had been looking forward to it as well, and perhaps that was my downfall. Quickly I learned that this wasn't really the book for me. Thoreau does make some excellent points about living a simpler life and being more concerned about a person's character than their clothing (and other worldly trappings). However, he goes a great deal further than I think most of us would agree with -- for instance, he seems to think furniture and coffee are among the needless luxuries we all indulge in far too much. True, these aren't strictly necessities, but I don't think many of us really want to part with them unless we absolutely had to do so. In a similar vein, he sneers at the education provided by colleges and pretty much dismisses them as useless; while I agree that practical skills are needed as well, I don't think we need to get rid of education all together!In fact, it was too difficult for me to not get frustrated by Thoreau's perceived superiority in doing this little experiment. He struck me as someone who would fit in perfectly today as the stereotypical hipster mansplaining why his lifestyle is the best and only way. Not everyone is able to just squat on another's land without getting shot by the police; not everyone is physically able to build their own home or live in relative isolation away from access to doctors among other things; and while Thoreau claims he could be left alone with just his thoughts forever (a point which I highly doubt or he would never have returned to society), there are few people who could get by without other human interaction. At one point, Thoreau essentially mocks the builders of the pyramids for being slaves who obeyed their masters rather than revolted -- as if things were as simply cut and dry as all that.The audio version of the book I had was read by Mel Foster who did an adequate job -- nothing to write home about, but not bad either.

[lrquinn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here's a timeless treasure to be revisited time and again. I always find something new in this book. It is very thought-provoking and inspirational.

[cal8769 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am having a very hard time getting through this book. A lot of the text is very boring. I love finding an inspiration or uplifting quote but they are few and far between.. So many descriptions, so many judgments on his part. Thoreau comes across as a very independent, self sustaining person but it seemed to me that he had to rely on many people who were living their lives the 'mainstreamed' way. I agree with a lot of his views but not to the extreme as he talked. The trouble, IMHO, is that man can't live in moderation. I'll keep plugging away at this book. Hopefully I can finish it.

[palaephata · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For the purposes of this review, I want to review not Walden, but this particular edition (ed. by McKibben and published by Beacon in 2017), which I received through LibraryThing's "Early Reviewer" programme. The literary merits and influence of Thoreau more generally are already rather well acknowledged, hence (presumably) the reason this edition exists. First, the book itself is very attractive. The typeface is pleasant, the paper is good quality, and the margins are not crowded. I did not read the full text of body of Walden again, but the chapters I re-read were physically easy to read. Though paperback, the cover is a nice creamy matte in a medium card stock weight, pleasant to touch and hold. McKibben notes that there are three types of "annotations" in this volume: definitions and citations for Thoreau's language and literary allusions, and also McKibben's "own occasional passing comments." He explains that the first two types of annotations are largely taken from other, previous critical editions, and, indeed, I did not think these differed at all from any of the other texts of Walden I have read, including versions in anthologies (such as the Norton). McKibben's own reflections I will address later.McKibben's introduction is reflective and not scholarly: he does not refer to any prevailing criticism of Thoreau, and instead previews the book by explaining his own experiences with the natural world and Thoreau, and trying to explain why Thoreau is still relevant to the modern reader. He makes a lot of claims about people who live today (c.p. "We've been suckled since birth on an endless elaboration of consumer fantasies, so that it is nearly hopeless for us to figure out what is our and what is the enchanter's suggestion," p.xviii). As the quotation I've just included will show, McKibben very much enjoys his figurative language and metaphors; both the bulk of the introduction and his own footnotes reflect similar stylistic choices. The introduction feels like a defense of reading Walden in today's world, but it did not illuminate my own understanding of Thoreau's text. Similarly, the "annotations" [really footnotes] of McKibben's own point out passages that he found interesting, and thoughts that he had while reading the book, but did not substantially illuminate the text or contribute to my enjoyment thereof. For instance, McKibben footnotes a reference to the locomotive by noting that "It is a sign of how much the times have changed that the railroad whistle now sounds like a quaint echo of the past--like the chorus of a country-western song" (109f). Not only do I not find this to be particularly true, but it does not actually benefit me as a reader, and there are many such annotations. They are not bad or wrong; they just did not really benefit me as a reader. I am an English teacher, and have taught Walden to students in both secondary school and at college/university. At $10.95 retail, I think this edition offers good value for money: it is readable, nicely formatted, and has a number of useful footnotes in addition to the discursive ones. However, I expect that it would break down under repeated use (I would not encourage my former high school, which re-issues texts to students from year to year, to buy it), and it does not include the depth of criticism that I would want as a university teacher. There are many good scholarly editions available under $20. However, this would probably be a nice gift for a friend who was unacquainted with Thoreau and enjoyed reading and/or the outdoors, especially as the tone of McKibben's footnotes is very discursive, friendly, and almost like a conversation ("what did you think? I was just pondering how . . .")In short, this isn't my favourite edition of Walden, but it has some very pleasant qualities.

[cheetosrapper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic work that still inspires. I shall enjoy reading this and passing it along to others.

[banjo123 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this from Early Reviewers, and it's taken me months to read and review. [Walden] is a favorite book of mine, always five stars, but it takes a while to read, because I have to stop to think every few pages, sometimes every few paragraphs. I really enjoy Thoreau's prose, and his thinking. For example:"One inconvenience I sometimes experienced in so small a house, the difficulty of getting to a sufficient distance from my guest when we began to utter the big thoughts in big words. You want room for your thoughts to get into sailing trim and run a course or two before they make their port. The bullet of your thought must have overcome its lateral and ricochet motion and fallen into its last and steady course before it reaches the ear of the hearer, else it may plough out again through the side of his head. Also our sentences wanted room to unfold and form their columns in the interval. I was excited to have this copy, because I thought that the introduction and the annotations by McKibben would enhance my reading. The introduction was interesting, and I think it did change the way I read the book. Usually I read the book as a personal manifesto, and thing mostly of how it applies to me individually, With McKibben's introduction, I thought of the book as more of a statement about our national character, and was able to put the book in a different context, for example thinking of the small house movement today as an outgrowth of Thoreau's philosophy. Also, this made me see that Thoreau was brilliant, but also a bit of a crank, which made him more interesting.The annotations, however, were a disappointment. They were random, and short, and did not really add to my experience.

[diana_long_thomas · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book received from Edelweiss.While this is the same Walden that has been in print forever, I really liked reading this re-print of it. The annotations in the book added to Thoreau's writing and helped me to understand some of the things he wrote about that have always slightly confused me.