Civil Disobedience and Other Essays (Dover Thrift Editions)
by Henry David Thoreau
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in February, 2008
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Read in January, 2008
some quotes i liked:
"if the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth,-certainly the machine will wear out. if the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, i say, break the law. let yo...more
"if the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth,-certainly the machine will wear out. if the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, i say, break the law. let yo...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
all citizens
"I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation I have a right to assume, is to do at any time what I think is right."
A quote from the book that I appreciate but that confuses me as well. "What I think is right," can be anything to anyone. What happens when people disagree about what is right?
A quote from the book that I appreciate but that confuses me as well. "What I think is right," can be anything to anyone. What happens when people disagree about what is right?
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I remember reading this while I studied Americana--I think it's quite an essential read--and felt very pleased that it was a part of my high school curriculum.
This is one that I feel compelled to revisit, as I think it would be enhanced by the experiences that have altered my perspective since my first reading.
This is one that I feel compelled to revisit, as I think it would be enhanced by the experiences that have altered my perspective since my first reading.
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One of my favorites. I didn't have to read this for school but I wish it had been required reading. I revisit this essay time and again as my perspective changes. Especially meaningful for anyone interested in the non-violent action used by Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr and Aung San Suu Kyi.
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The original american anarchist. I would imagine that many of the Fox News watchers would not be big fans of Mr. Thoreau today. Collection of essays, the most remembered of which deals with Mr. Thoreau refusing to pay taxes to support the Mexican-American War.
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I read this in high school and was down from day one with the rebellious leanings of Thoreau. I was all, "Yeah! Fight the power!!" Anyway, I still think Thoreau is pretty awesome thirteen years later. He was definitely gangsta.
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Every essay that I have read by Thoreau is fantastic. He is always a hit with my honors 11th graders who think that they are going to be the next social revolutionary. Heck, I might be the next social revolutionary!
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Has a copy to sell/swap
recommends it for:
everyone
Thoreau's civil disobedience is admirable. He actually refused to pay taxes that went to the military (and was sent to jail for this) in protest of a war he felt was unjust. Everyone should read Thoreau.
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Also read this one in Burma - it had me burning with all the injustice of being in a society where one could not practice civil disobedience without harmful (potentially lethal) consequences.
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why every one hasnt a copy of this book is beyond me - there is no truer piece of american prose.... this is it - the essay that ended british rule of india - just ask ghandi.
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recommends it for:
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I love the message of C.D. It was one of my favorite things that I read in HS and I guess that alone should stand out enough...it'll always have a place in my brain.
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Just like "Walden," this makes me want to move to the woods and truly live 'off the grid.'
It's also where the band Rage Against the Machine got their name.
It's also where the band Rage Against the Machine got their name.
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
politically minded people
go ahead and read "On Civil Disobedience" and change the Mexican war to the Iraq war. It's unbelievable how contemporary this piece of work is.
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Read in January, 1996
I did an essay on this in high school and have a special love for it. It probably had a bit to do with the tattoo I got when I was 18, lol...
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Read in February, 2008
Thoreau has such an intellectual mind and I love books that are thought-provoking. If you like history, this is definitely worth your time.
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I read this book in college in my Lit/Phil class. I had a great teacher (Mrs. Andrade) and we wrote some interesting essays on Thoreau.
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Read in January, 1999
Civil disobedience is very well written. While I do not agree with some of the conclusions, it was insightful and thought-provoking.
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Thoreau seemed hypocritical of politics, wanting it to work for him when convenient without his making an effort to better it.
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
friends and politicians
Thoreau is the man! These essays on slavery, the envirnoment and government are trophies of American history.
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