Summer: From The Journal Of Henry David Thoreau

by Henry David Thoreau, H. G. O. Blake (Editor)

"" From The Journal Of Henry David Thoreau"" is a collection of essays and observations written by the renowned American author and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau. The book is a compilation of Thoreau's journal entries from the summer of 1845, during which he spent time living in a cabin near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Through his vivid descriptions of nature and the changing seasons, Thoreau reflects on the beauty and complexity of the natural world, and the importance of living a simple, deliberate life in harmony with nature. He writes about his daily routines, his interactions with the local flora and fauna, and his musings on topics ranging from spirituality and philosophy to politics and social justice. Thoreau's writing is characterized by his keen observations and poetic language, which capture the essence of the natural world and evoke a sense of wonder and awe. ""Summer"" is a timeless work of literature that continues to inspire readers with its message of simplicity, self-reliance, and reverence for the natural world.Excerpts From Thoreau's Journals, Reflecting Daily Life And Contemplation At Walden Pond During The Summer Months, With Editor's Introductory Essay.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

408 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau) was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, philosopher, and abolitionist who is best known for Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.

Thoreau's books, articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes. Among his lasting contributions were his writings on natural history and philosophy, where he anticipated the methods and findings of ecology and environmental history, two sources of modern day environmentalism.

In 1817, Henry David Thoreau was born in Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1837, taught briefly, then turned to writing and lecturing. Becoming a Transcendentalist and good friend of Emerson, Thoreau lived the life of simplicity he advocated in his writings. His two-year experience in a hut in Walden, on land owned by Emerson, resulted in the classic, Walden: Life in the Woods (1854). During his sojourn there, Thoreau refused to pay a poll tax in protest of slavery and the Mexican war, for which he was jailed overnight. His activist convictions were expressed in the groundbreaking On the Duty of Civil Disobedience (1849). In a diary he noted his disapproval of attempts to convert the Algonquins "from their own superstitions to new ones." In a journal he noted dryly that it is appropriate for a church to be the ugliest building in a village, "because it is the one in which human nature stoops to the lowest and is the most disgraced." (Cited by James A. Haught in 2000 Years of Disbelief.) When Parker Pillsbury sought to talk about religion with Thoreau as he was dying from tuberculosis, Thoreau replied: "One world at a time."

Thoreau's philosophy of nonviolent resistance influenced the political thoughts and actions of such later figures as Leo Tolstoy, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. D. 1862.

More: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/tho...

http://thoreau.eserver.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Da...

http://transcendentalism-legacy.tamu....

http://www.biography.com/people/henry...

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I start the review, I'll say that I read the Riverside Edition of Thoreau's Summer, which only had 372 pages plus index.

July 5, 1852.
"The progress of the season is indescribable. It is growing warm again, but the warmth is different from that we have had. We lie in the shade of a locust-tree. Haymakers go by in a hay-rigging. I am reminded of berrying. I scent the sweet fern and the dead or dry pine leaves. Cherry-birds alight on a neighboring tree. The warmth is something more normal and steady. Nature offers fruits now as well as flowers. We have become accustomed to the summer. It has acquired a certain eternity."

I've read his Autumn and Winter diaries before this one, and I must say, Summer is my favorite so far. Like the other publications of his seasonal diaries, his entries generally range between the late 1830's until around the time of his death in 1862. The time span is not the entire summer (as one may expect), it instead lasts from June 1st until July 10th. The book is arranged chronologically by date and then by year, with the exception of a trip he took to mountainous New Hampshire in early July of 1858. Something about the summer must have purified Thoreau's thoughts, as his natural observations and general musings typical of his diaries crystallize even nicer here than they typically do! He makes many references to a few select species: notably nighthawks, bobolinks, and water lilies, referring to them by their scientific name of Nymphaea odorata. His observations run the gamut from those of the naturalist, to those of the philosopher, to those of the historian. There also seems to be comparatively less of early Thoreau (perhaps 1837 to 1845) here, which I appreciate. I believe his writing improved immeasurably as he matured. Thoreau is medicine for the soul and I'd highly recommend this if you want a meditative account of Massachusetts nature and history.

[Olivia Regis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Verano” reúne fragmentos de escritos de Henry David Thoreau. Amó la escritura del autor desde que leí por primera vez hace algunos años. “Verano” es un libro de no ficción que nos lleva a un viaje veraniego. Aquí encontrarán reflexiones sobre la naturaleza y la vida en general. En poco más de 100 páginas nos encontramos con un sin fin de frases memorables y observaciones sobre el mundo que nos rodea. Después de leer este libro me dieron ganas de qué lleguen los días más cálidos del año. Si les gusta la no ficción deben leer a Henry David Thoreau alguna vez en sus vidas.