5 Lessons from Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was both a naturalist as an exact and sensitive observer of plants and animals and an astute social critic who questioned the economic excesses and preoccupations of his contemporaries, especially in his classic work Walden published in 1854. Many today rightly see him as a forerunner of environmentalism. He also wrote a famous essay entitled "Civil Disobedience" that inspired major social movements in the twentieth century. Thoreau had a short and somewhat difficult life and died of tuberculosis at the age of 44. In that short time, he sought to squeeze the most out of life. In the end, he succeeded and left a living legacy for environmentalists, for social reformers, and for those seeking a simpler and more mindful life. Thoreau closely associated with his older mentor and friend, the writer and lecturer Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). Both made their mark in Concord, Massachusetts. This book focuses on five key themes in Thoreau's most famous work, Walden.