Amazon henry david thoreau biography pdf

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Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. 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. Home About All Books More.

Henry David Thoreau. Better World Books. Uploaded by station Hamburger icon An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. Web icon An illustration of a computer application window Wayback Machine Texts icon An illustration of an open book. Texts Video icon An illustration of two cells of a film strip.

Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Images in this review. Top reviews from United Kingdom. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Verified Purchase. This biography brilliantly evokes the life and times Henry Thoreau, dispelling a number of myths in the process, for example,that he was misanthropic and reclusive.

Although pages long, I found this well-written book always engaging and absorbing. A must read to help understand a complex figure who has much to tell us still about how to live. A masterpiece of modern biography. This reveals a Thoreau few other biographers succeeded in recognising: a man of nature, a lively debater and one of Concord town's most loved citizens.

The book has arived. This is an excellent biography of one of the best writers in English and one of the main personalities of America in the XIX Century. It is well researched, thoroughly referred to the events sorrounding the life of its subject and writen with an obvious passion. It reveals a man quite ahead of his time shockingly ahead of his times in some matters in matters of abolitionism, climate, environment, ecology, etc.

The "but" and the reason for "only" 4 stars: the biography doesn't include a relation of the books published by Thoreau, or a mention of the best versions available of one of his major works: the inmense Diaries. Perhaps a moot in an otherwise very book: it doesn't mention, nor explains, the fact that Thoreau, given the name of David Henry Thoreau at birth, later used Henry David, and actually coming to interrupt and correct all those who called him David.

One person found this helpful. My wife is enjoying this very much. See more reviews. Top reviews from other countries. Translate all reviews to English. Report Translate review to English. One of the best of the best critical biographies of the life and art of one of America's most significant writers. Highly recommended. I knew very little about Thoreau before reading this outstanding biography; now I know a great deal more.

So this review is written from the standpoint of someone lacking a strong background regarding Thoreau and his writings who decides to tackle this book. It is my impression that there much disagreement about what Thoreau was up to and what his goals were. I think this is because people try to put him into various boxes: ecologist; poet; historian; naturalist; anti-slavery activist; linguist; surveyor; civil disobedient; scientist; or simply the author of "Walden.

By dying at 45, his life is snuffed out long before its eventual maturation and growth are completed--adding to his personal mystery. Fortunately, the author, a professor of English, does not turn the bio into a discourse on Thoreau's many writings. Instead, chronologically each of his major writings is discussed, usually in a fairly compact fashion.

Even the discussion of amazon henry david thoreau biography pdf is limited to five or six pages. But so skillfully has the author established the context for each writing that her discussion slips smoothly into the narrative to give the reader a good grasp of what Thoreau has written and why. I found it very useful to have a copy of the Library of America Thoreau volume on Collected Essays and Poems handy since almost every writing the author discusses is contained therein in a convenient format, including an extensive chronology of Thoreau's life.

The challenge of recounting Thoreau's manifold activities without overwhelming the reader is well handled by the author. She takes her time as the book runs some pages, including extensive endnotes, bibliography, and index. I found particularly interesting the sections on Thoreau's anti-slavery advocacy, his side career as a lecturer, and especially his involvement with spreading Darwin's evolutionary theory which in effect denied the basis for slavery throughout Concord, Mass.

For a small town, Concord and its lyceum emerge as an hotbox of intellectual activity, especially as regards literature and abolitionist politics. The author devotes much space--perhaps too much--to Thoreau's passion for taking long expeditions through the wilderness and climbing mountains. But the reader comes to understand why these jaunts were so important to Thoreau and to understanding him.

I stand amazed at all the diverse activities and areas of study that Thoreau engaged in during his brief 45 years. It is equally amazing that the author has managed to organize and discuss all these aspects so skillfully in this biography. Part of the reason is that the author has written extensively on related topics which has enriched her perspectives on Thoreau.

So if you are a Thoreau novice or even an expert, this is the biography you want to read. It is not only informative but pleasant to read as one encounters the author's numerous perceptive insights. It is simply what a biography should be. The book is well-written and thoroughly researched.

Amazon henry david thoreau biography pdf

It changed my stereotypical perceptions of Thoreau's personality as being that of a cranky loner. Very convincingly shows how "plugged in" he was to the various communities in which he played an important part. On the familial side, I very much appreciated the part of the book which dealt with his relationship with his brother and the loss he experienced at his brother's death.

The one slight caveat I had was the parts dealing with his parents. Both seemed to be interesting, lively and thoughtful people but the treatment in the book was somewhat briefer than I might have wished. This was a very minor caveat; it was one of the best biographies I have read in years. I finished its pages very quickly a few days ago, and have already started recommending it to friends.

I also plan to revisit Thoreau's writings. Report an issue. Does this item contain inappropriate content? Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? Does this item contain quality or formatting issues? Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. Back to top. Get to Know Us. Make Money with Us.