Walden and Civil Disobedience

By Henry David Thoreau, Kristen Case and Michael Meyer

A transcendentalist classic on social responsibility and a manifesto that inspired modern protest movements
 
Critical of 19th-century America’s booming commercialism and industrialism, Henry David Thoreau moved to a small cabin in the woods of Concord, Massachusetts in 1845. Walden, the account of his stay near Walden Pond, conveys at once a naturalist’s wonder at the commonplace and a transcendentalist’s yearning for spiritual truth and self-reliance. But Thoreau's embrace of solitude and simplicity did not entail a withdrawal from social and political matters. Civil Disobedience, also included in this volume, expresses his antislavery and antiwar sentiments, and has influenced resistance movements worldwide. Both give rewarding insight into a free-minded, principled and idiosyncratic life.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,800 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Aug 25, 1983
• ISBN: 9781101664094

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 and Civil Disobedience

[dantarlin · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So I thought I should read this Classic, which I had never done. It was exciting to come to a familiar line "Most men live lives of quiet desperation" near the start, but alas no other lines stirred my memory.I was struck by how preachy the book was- reading now as a man in his 50s, Walden struck me as the ramblings of a smart 20-something guy who thinks he knows everything. A long first chapter denotes his brilliant (yet so easy and obvious!) economy in striking out on his own in the woods, living cheaply and simply. He preaches that any of us could give up the foolish trappings of civilization and live the simpler life. (And yet he returns to civilization after 2 years there- maybe there's something to that after all).Much of the book rambles on about the wonders of nature, including many references to specific animals and plants about which I know little and have little interest. For those interested in such things, it might be a better read.

[jscape2000 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I couldn’t finish it. I just don’t care about this dead white guy’s opinion on how people should live or be educated. I just don’t care.

[skyeval · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I almost found the book at odds with the famous quotes that are gleaned from it. Not sure why, but I thought this was going to be an easy read about nature! Wrong. It is a very complex read, and although fairly short, it takes a long time to read. Also, I found Thoreau a bit stodgy and judgmental. I kept giving him a lot of leeway because of the time period it was written. Although some very good ideas and quotes come from this book, I am not so sure it would be considered a classic today. In all honesty, I haven't read Civil Disobedience yet and understand that it is much more relevant for our times.

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had to read this text when I was in undergrad for English lit. While I absolutely hated my American lit class, I did enjoy Thoreau (for the most part) and especially his Civil Disobedience which is more applicable these days than not.

[schmerguls · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3623. Walden or, A Life in the Woods and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau (read Sept 2, 2002) I came into possession of this, and since I had never read such famed works I read the entire book, though I confess without consuming interest. I cannot qualify as a naturalist, and I remember when I read books like The Sea Around Us (3 Aug. 1990) and Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (13 Apr 1996) I could not get interested, and while Walden is much more than an account of viewing nature, this lack of interest was present while I read it. The book on civil disobedience would be enjoyable by an anarchist, but I am not that either, and the course he describes is obviously usually impractical. I suppose I shortchanged Thoreau in not devoting more study to this book.

[dele2451 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A timeless classic that is as relevant today as it was when it was written -- possibly even more so. If you haven't read it already, stop looking at this review and go find a copy right now!

[polaris4_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A deserved classic.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful in places and shows an appreciation of nature but as with many books like this I feel a little like the thinking is that the natural way is best whereas I feel like we should attempt to build from this.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the entire book but it was a hard struggle. I think part of the problem may have been the narrator but part was also how Thoreau organized his chapters. I really found that it was hard to be interested in how much he spent to build his hut or what he ate day to day. On the other hand his descriptions of the wildlife and the different seasons were almost poetic.However, now I can tick Walden off my list of books that I have always meant to read.

[jnmwheels · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I trudged through about half and gave up.

[kale.dyer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful in places and shows an appreciation of nature but as with many books like this I feel a little like the thinking is that the natural way is best whereas I feel like we should attempt to build from this.

[ericfitz08 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great manifesto on nature/living/faith/philosophy. At times thoreau approaches the pretentious. Speaking as a male college graduate in his early twenties-as Thoreau was during his time at Walden-I get living the simple life. We've all cut down the luxeries (relatively) living off ramen, strarbucks Wifi, and Pabst Blue Ribbon, but when hes passing judgement on a poor family for working to hard for the sake of silly luxeries like meet and good clothes it seems much. Those critiques aside, Thoreau's masterpiece is a great read and only more relevent as our lives become more indoor-oriented, more connected, constantly stimulated, and never alone. And Civil Disobedience is a fine take on American democracy, possibly the last honest political document in this country. I don't agree with all of it, which only makes me appreciate it more as it can never be hijacked by either political party.

[dpevers_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While it can be a bit of a tough or boring read at times, well worth the effort. While not everyone will have the luxury of 'escaping' in the woods to try and be self-sufficient, all can learn about themselves, their beliefs, their political leanings, the environment, and how to be a better observer by reading Walden.

[renderedtruth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was recommended to me by a sociology professor at a junior college. I read it and give the book a very high mark for providing me with a plan in life.Thoreau taught me that 'every journey begins with a single step.' There is more to this lovely work but that is the part that most impressed me at the first reading.

[kylelanser_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite a long read. Relaxing and insightful.

[fredsmeegle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I started reading this book years ago. I found it a difficult read, because I've always had trouble concentrating on books with a great deal of description. But it's well worth the effort. In many ways, it's a sort of long prose-poem that gets us to experience the life of the earth and the change of the seasons, which we tend to ignore in our own lives, through the author's eyes. But I'm also interested in the New England transcendentalists, and so found Thoreau's philosophical reflections fantastic as well.

[borg6mx5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think Walden is overrated. While Thoreau was waxing poetic, I never felt he lived what he said. After all, he usually wandered into town and into the pub to do his writing.

[pepys_3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

By far my worst-worn book: it was soaked in sea water at a time I took it with me in a supposed waterproof bag which I dragged floating behind me as I swam to reach a lonely rock one summer day in the Bonifacio Straights, South Corsica (phew!)... When I discovered the damage, pages were glued together with saltwater. But drying it finally allowed me to end my reading. I think Thoreau, even soaked through, would have liked being read in a completely secluded place, with only the sea, the sun and the wind to keep me company.Not an easy book to read for me: many unknown words, sometimes more than one in the same sentence...

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shoot me...shoot me now. I went into Walden thoroughly expecting to abhor it. In fact, I did for the first chapter or so. I found Thoreau to be narrow sighted and judgemental. He claimed not to begrudge anyone their own choice of living style, but spent over two hours telling everyone why their way of living was wrong and why his was the best. The life he had carved for himself seemed to be dedicated to simply living (not just living simply) instead of actually finding enjoyment out of those things not available to us in nature.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Meh. I have never been able to buy Walden. I think a primary reason is I've read too much background context and all sorts of details surrounding Thoreau's life prior to writing this, at the time of writing it, and immediately after and as a result, I long ago concluded that this is virtually fraud. Sadly, simply total bullshit and bizarrely vastly overrated. Not recommended under any circumstance.

[ladycato · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had never before read Walden & Civil Disobedience in their entirety. Walden is something of a slog and slow to get going, but I enjoyed the rapturous way he writes about nature. It's easy to see why this is a classic for those passages alone. Civil Disobedience is more engaging than the social commentary within Walden, and quite fascinating in light of how it continues to influence activism today. I'm glad I read these works but I won't ever willingly read through them again.

[bexaplex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Walden is an American masterpiece: a story of renewal, and a statement of the individual's responsibility to himself, to society and to the world at large. The seasonal cycle of the book sort of drills down into contemplation, so that you are eased into winter, and deeper thought.Whenever I pick up Walden, I always expect an ecstatic tract a la Muir, and forget how humorous Thoreau is. He uses awful puns, he jibes at his own lack of commercial success, he makes fun of his fellow Concordians. What a wonderful dinner guest he must have been — stubborn and entertaining.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thoreau wrote this infamous book after deciding he was sick and tired of his busy city life in Concord, Massachusetts. In 1845 he left the city and moved to an isolated cabin on Walden Pond. He spent two years there, farming and living off the land. When he returned home he decided to write about his experience and this book is the results. The book is a mixed bag of literary gems, pontification, wise advice and tedious daily chores. I kept stumbling across so many famous quotes that I didn’t realize originated in this text. I also grew tired of his exhausting catalogue of his daily labors. Thoreau was around 30 when he wrote the book and there are bits that are insufferably cocky. I’m younger than he was then, but I can still understand that older generations have wisdom to offer us. At one point he goes on a rant about the fact that just because people have lived longer than him doesn’t make them expert in life and they shouldn’t be trying to give him advice. I wonder if Thoreau ever re-read those words when he was older and regretted his hubris. Yet there were also lessons that resonated with me 150 years after they were originally written. The main one was the importance he placed on giving yourself time to reflect in solitude. We need to take breaks from society (especially from social media) to put our lives in perspective and make sure we have our priorities straight. That’s even more important today than it was then. Thoreau talks about us filling our lives to the brim and leaving no room for reflection; imagine what he would say if he heard about facebook and twitter and the nonstop stream of television that fills our every waking hour! BOTTOM LINE: There are parts of this book I just loved to pieces, and those were absolutely 5 star sections for me. But there are also a lot of bits that talk in detail about what he did each day (fishing, gardening, etc.) and those parts really dragged. It’s definitely worth reading for all of the gems you stumble upon, but don’t expect a quick, light read. “It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.”“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.”“A written word is the choicest of relics. It is something at once more intimate with us and more universal than any other work of art. It is the work of art nearest to life itself. It may be translated into every language, and not only be read but actually breathed from all human lips; -- not be represented on canvas or in marble only, but be carved out of the breath of life itself.”“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.”“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.”