The Thoreau You Don't Know: What the Prophet of Environmentalism Really Meant

by Robert Sullivan

Robert Sullivan, the New York Times bestselling author of Rats and Cross Country , delivers a revolutionary reconsideration of Henry David Thoreau for modern readers of the seminal transcendentalist. Dispelling common notions of Thoreau as a lonely eccentric cloistered at Walden Pond, Sullivan (whom the New York Times Book Review calls “an urban Thoreau”) paints a dynamic picture of Thoreau as the naturalist who founded our American ideal of “the Great Outdoors;” the rugged individual who honed friendships with Ralph Waldo Emerson and other writers; and the political activist who inspired Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and other influential leaders of progressive change. You know Thoreau is one of America’s legendary writers…but the Thoreau you don’t know may be one of America’s greatest heroes.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Nature, Environment, Historical

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Sullivan is the author of Rats, The Meadowlands, A Whale Hunt, and most recently, The Thoreau You Don’t Know. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, New York magazine, A Public Space, and Vogue, where he is a contributing editor. He was born in Manhattan and now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/robert...

Reviews

[Claire Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Sullivan's new book, "The Thoreau You Don't Know," is not a traditional biography, but is more an extended essay on the life and meaning of the man revered by many as the father of environmentalism. Sullivan, whose previous books include "Rats" and the "Meadowlands," has been described as an "Urban Thoreau," and was an ideal candidate to undertake this task.

The debate over Thoreau has been going on for a long time--it began while he was still alive and has continued in the more than 146 years since his death. The viewpoint that seems to have won out with most people, at least those who only know him casually, is to view Thoreau as a cranky loner who cared more about nature than his neighbors.

Sullivan argues convincingly that this is not the case. Drawing on Thoreau's own writings, wide reading in the literature about him, and his own observations, Sullivan lays out a case for a Thoreau who cared deeply about society and his fellow beings--all of them, including those marginalized by society then (and now)--women, Native Americans and immigrants. He did not use his critique of society to justify withdrawing from it--he wanted his words to motivate others to improve it.

I read Walden many years ago, but haven't explored the rest of the his works. Thanks to Sullivan's book, I now intend to do so. In these pages, I got to know a Thoreau who had a sense of humor, who worked hard at a variety of tasks (including some that would be considered menial, then or now), who loved music, and most of all, loved the precious gift of life itself.

[Yelda Basar Moers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now, if you’re going to write a book called The Thoreau You Don’t Know, you better give the reader something big and blazing that we don’t know about him, especially to those diehard fans out there like me. Of course I’m writing this review from a different perspective since I do know a lot about him, having read Walden over ten times, and many biographies on his life. I can see what the writer was trying to do, show him in a different light than as a prophet of nature that lived in the woods. But honestly, I have to say I didn’t learn much about Thoreau in this book that I didn’t already know. I do like how the writer goes into the transcendental movement, and gives some context to his life. He also does an excellent job starting chapters. The sentences that begin each one grab the reader, and keep him interested. I think they are the best chapter beginnings I have ever read of any nonfiction book. Still after reading I didn’t really get a sense of a new Thoreau, or the real Thoreau. The only way to do that is to read Walden many times and his essays, particularly the one on John Brown, the abolitionist. Then we see who this passionate man really is.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thoreau You Don't Know What the Prophet of Environmentalism Really Meant by Robert Sullivan is a book that leaves you with the distinct impression that it would probably be a lot of fun to sit down and get really drunk with the author. The point of the book is ostensibly to provide a more balanced portrait of Thoreau as a man given to practicality and whimsy at least as much as the more stoic virtues generally used to illustrate his character. It certainly does this, citing letters, historic accounts and essays written both by Thoreau and other people personally or "professionally" involved with him. The more interesting thing about this book, though, is the way the author subtly drives the narrative in directions that give him the opportunity to rip into and criticize just about everything, from the publishing industry to the American lifestyle in the 1990s to other Transcendentalist writers to reality TV.

Of course, there is also some very interesting commentary and cross-referencing provided specific to Walden, and the way some things (such as the estimate of total food expense - $8.74 - is actually a reference to another book written at the time about gastric reform) are allusions to other pieces written by contemporaries and acquaintances of Thoreau which most of us would never have the opportunity to learn about or appreciate without an account such as this. It has definitely left me with the impression that I should read Walden at least three or four more times before I can even BEGIN to appreciate the depth of something that, admittedly, I saw as a fairly face-value sort of piece when I read it as a teenager.

This book was well-written, witty, and informative without being oppressively so. You come away liking Thoreau a lot more than you did going in, and maybe liking yourself a bit more as well. I would recommend it, and I have every intention of looking into other things Robert Sullivan has written.

And let's end this with the best Thoreau quote ever, from a plaque at his "experiment" at Walden:

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.

That is the part of his legacy that I internalize and identify with. The part I've held with me as I've moved to my own metaphorical cabin in the woods - live with meaning and don't ask permission to find satisfaction. Living is so dear.

[Dpdwyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading for insight into Thoreau’s life and what he was trying to achieve. Quotes:

“For a lot of writers, writing is something that has to be worked through, like a bad cold’; the goal is not to write but to think.”

“Thoreau doesn’t offer answers. His is the analysis that leads to questions.”

Thoreau - “But lo! men have become tools of their tools.”

“Thoreau mostly listened but, in the minds of the bystanders, didn’t so much talk as stalk the corners of the conversation.”

Thoreau “...still preferred solitude, or his friend-laced version of it…”

The last line in Thoreau’s journal: “All this is perfectly distinct to an observant eye, and yet could easily pass unnoticed by most.”

[Marie Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kind of book is really only going to appeal to people who are slightly obsessed with Thoreau, but not obsessed enough to know a lot about him and his works. I did learn a lot, which is why I stuck with it.
The writing style was difficult for me to get on board with. The author seems to enjoy ending each paragraph with a non sequitur that had me scratching my head and having to re-read entire sections to try to figure out if I had missed some important segue. That does not make for enjoyable reading.

And the author never once thinks to mention that Thoureau was likely neurodivergent, which accounts for many of the apparent contradictions in his personality. Oh well.

Overall, very deeply researched and informative, but not something I would recommend to anyone, or something that I would like to keep on my shelf.

[Christine Fay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this certainly fleshed out my knowledge of Thoreau’s life beyond that of reading Walden. For instance, I did not know that he held a teaching position in Canton, Massachusetts for a while. He did teach off and on, but he seemed to be most happy watching Ralph Waldo Emerson’s children and teaching them all about the woods, of course. He was also once in love with a woman who chose to marry his brother over him, so he was never lucky in the love department. He hung out with a lot of influential writers, Bronscon Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and he was a fan of William Wordsworth. His writing style may be a bit verbose, but he certainly had a great message about what’s important in life and Nature.

[Terry A. Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on Thoreau.

I first read Walden in a “gap year” after my freshman year of college. I have re-read it a number of times since then. The “I went to the woods…” quote set the course of my life, from which I never deviated. Over fifty years later I stumbled across this book about Thoreau and was pleased to see the truth of it’s title. I thought I knew Thoreau, from all my own reading by and about him and visiting Walden and Concord several times, etc., but was pleasantly surprised by what I gleaned from this book. The closing chapter of the book was particularly interesting and moving. I highly recommend it, especially to anyone who might think that they “know” Thoreau.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what brought me to Thoreau, but this book made me fall in love. As Sullivan points out, Thoreau encourages us to break out from the lock step of culture and in so doing make a new connection to our community. Thoreau is not an isolationist, a hermit. Instead, he encourages us to have a vision, build a life, and then create community.

Sullivan makes an insightful connection between Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience. Thoreau wants us to be moral citizens, be mindful in how we live and connect with the world (Walden) and create friction to make government work better (Civil Disobedience). What could be more inspiring and instructive in these times?

[Melissa A Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the scope of this book though it shattered some of my personal opinions about Thoreau--I had rather liked the naturalist and his simple existence, so, was comfortable with the Thoreau I already knew. First, the book gives further insight to the man and we see what was there all along; secondly, the historical references are proof of the familiar premise that history repeats itself.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this during the first part of the book, but found that it got stale the longer it went on. I have read Walden numerous times, and was looking forward to learning more about the man Thoreau, particularly if it was something new and unexpected. This book failed to deliver.

[Mike Prochot · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great insight into Thoreau. Reading Thoreau's works over the course of my life (and gaining inspiration and very much pleasure and satisfaction from them), I have always felt if not actually sensed that much of his writing was filled with humor and irony, call it farce if you will. It seemed to me that he was cajoling his readers to look about and find the insights to many questions of their lives and world. It also seemed to me that Thoreau was not what we would classify today as a "greenie". He was something more practical. I felt that he was trying to make sense of how man and nature worked together rather than worshipping nature as an end in itself.

Well, Mr. Sullivan does a wonderful job of putting these thoughts of mine into words. He also manages to bring Thoreau to life in Thoreau's actual time, giving us insight into the world he actually lived and how his writings really came across then. We see Thoreau the young man searching for his place in the world, seeking adventure, travel, friendship, love, fun and frivolity, trying to make a living and struggling with just how best to do that. We find that Thoreau was a bit of an engineer, a bit of a mechanic, a bit of a woodsman, a professional surveyor, a city dweller, a pencil maker, s free lance writer, a fisherman, a collector, serious abolitionist, somewhat of a botanist and zooligist! A very interesting, passionate man living his life with gusto.

I came away with the understanding that Thoreau was in fact not so much a conservationist as a realist. Trying to find how man and nature fit together in our world. Understanding what was going on in his time is the key to understanding Thoreau and his writings and in my opinion, make his works that much more valuable and insightful. Mr. Sullivan shows us the way.

After reading this book, I like and appreciate Thoreau more as a real, living person than I ever did. This was a great read.

The "Notes" chapter of the book give much in the way of information for further reading and insight into Thoreau the man.

My only complaint comes in the last chapter of the book in which the author makes a pilgrimage to Walden. I found this part of the book to be clunky and frankly kind of meaningless. Mr. Sullivan seems to be reverting to Thoreau as the greenpeace member or patron saint of "the movement" after spending the whole book refuting that image. Mr. Sullivan spends too much time wondering about Thoreau's feelings on genetically engineered crops, blogging, sustainable seafood, yadda, yadda. He also drops the global warming supporter hints along the way just for good measure, mentioning how Thoreau's "zeal for rote recording of plant flowerings or water levels..is proof, in the short term, of the drastic effecs of global warming." Well, I don't know about that leap, but there it is.

All in all, a book well worthy of spending time with. Afterward, re-read a bit of Thoreau (as I did) and see if you don't seem to have a better appreciation and understanding - and just maybe, more fun!

[Jeffrey Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sullivan's biography is a witty read, but is oftentimes a frustrating example of author transference. While he should be praised for reminding us of the humorous and social aspects of Thoreau, Sullivan twists and morphs Emerson's friend and protege. Sullivan takes his own progressive, romanticized view of government and anti-capitalist bias, and breathes them into Thoreau. He tries to make the Concord eccentric less of an individualist-transcendentalist and more of a collectivist. In reality, Thoreau was more in line with Emerson than he was with Alcott or any of the social reformers that came from the Transcendentalist movement. This doesn't mean he was opposed to the social reformer's efforts. He was certainly more an activist than Emerson, but the portrait Sullivan paints and the historical figure that lived at Walden pond are two different entities.

Thoreau was a social critic, but Sullivan's attempt to fit him into contemporary politics does violence to Thoreau's person. Many diverse groups and people have drawn inspiration from the father of nature writing. Sullivan's representation of him is somewhat inaccurate, but perhaps not dishonest--it is understandable that he would focus on the ways in which he was inspired by Walden, but it is detrimental to Thoreau's legacy.

Some of Thoreau's criticisms of society were directed at the changing economy. Thoreau can be forgiven for his lack of appreciation for the societal benefits that came from industrializing/modernizing America. He was viewing from a limited scope. However, Sullivan's failure to understand the way markets function, benefiting society as a whole, is inexcusable. He still holds to the Marxist view of labor when he should turn to the theory of subjective value. He focuses on the costs of a modernizing economy but remains ignorant of the greater benefits that follow: for all classes of people--especially in regards to market-based solutions to environmental problems. He loves the natural world, but turns toward the greatest defiler of the earth as the institution that he believes will save it: the government. Thoreau was more a critic of government and a proponent for self-sovereignty than Sullivan would have readers believe.

Still, The Thoreau You Don't Know is an engaging read with an interesting perspective. We are reminded that man is nature rather than being at war with it. A love of the natural does not require us to disregard the boons of technology and societal advancement. Thoreau went to Walden Pond to learn how to live deliberately. Thoreau did not find life's answers for all of us, but he points us to the most important question and gives us a record of his own experiment upon it. How shall I live?

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Sullivan has an axe to grind. In The Thoreau You Don’t Know Sullivan says that the popular conception of Henry David Thoreau, the image of the man so commonly invoked by writers and activists, is wildly off the mark.

Notably, Sullivan, who has sometimes been compared to Thoreau, claims that Thoreau was not in fact anti-social or reclusive. He actually spent very little time in that tiny cabin on Walden Pond, and even at Walden he hosted mellon-tasting parties (talk about debauchery!) and otherwise engaged enthusiastically in town life. Also, Thoreau, the avid pencil-maker, didn’t reject technology, he embraced it. Thoreau’s famous night in the Concord jail may not have been all that noble, and perhaps, by today’s standards, Thoreau wasn’t a thoroughly committed environmentalist.

I myself have never been under the impression that the popular image of Thoreau was necessarily accurate or complete, and I hate axe grinding, but Sullivan rescues his book with his close and entertaining study of Thoreau’s life. Though it seems to violate his premise of authenticity, Sullivan isn’t afraid to speculate when exploring critical details of Thoreau’s biography, and I greatly enjoyed this aspect of the book.

Thoreau’s relationship with Ralph Waldo Emerson was very complex, and you get the impression that Thoreau, while certainly advantaged by the friendship, was severely mistreated by Emerson. Also, Sullivan shows that it took a very long time for Thoreau to emerge from the life-draining influence of the Transcendentalists, and sadly, he didn’t fully establish his voice as a writer until very close to the end of his short life.

Sullivan’s own portrait of Thoreau is certainly not complete or golden. Thoreau scholars will no doubt find many faults. And, all too often, Sullivan attempts to relate Thoreau to modern life by presenting clumsy, patronizing analogies—iPods and Internet blogs—terms he uses again and again in subsequent chapters. His portrayal of Thoreau critics and enthusiasts is maddeningly simplistic. Does anyone really care what Thoreau, if he was living today, would think about the automobile or the modern Interstate system now tearing past his old hometown? While righting wrongs, Sullivan inflicts quite a few new ones of his own, but for a short, popular history, his book is pretty damn good and solidly entertaining.

[J.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Walden" is a book I've always *wanted* to read but, unfortunately, I've never been able to get far into it - and I'm sure I'm not the only one. But Robert Sullivan says that we misunderstand Thoreau - making him the "prophet of the environmental movement" or thinking of him as a hermit or a malcontent. The reality, he says, is that Thoreau was never anti-society or against development. Rather he advocated living more simply and making the best use of nature's resources instead of the conspicuous consumption that was becoming common (Emerson being a prime example). He *was* a bit of a rabble-rouser, but not to the degree we often think after reading "Civil Disobedience" (he always remained friends with his "jailer," and it was probably more of a case of mutual benefits for both of them). Nor was he lazy as some have said, having worked as a surveyor and running the family pencil business.

Throughout his life Thoreau was identified frequently with the Transcendentalist movement. He was friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson, the most prominent voice of that movement, but the two didn't always see eye to eye. Thoreau was far more conscious of social issues, and became a rather outspoken abolitionist near the end of his life. He also became more accepting of Irish immigrants than many people during his day. But this book is *not* a biography of Thoreau, but more a study of the conditions of his time: the influences upon his thinking and writing; the social forces such as slavery, labor unrest, and the movement westward; his own community and family. You come away with a better feeling of what it was like to live in Thoreau's time. And there is plenty of information on Thoreau, but it's given in a less direct way than a straightforward biography might do.

The book is personal and sometimes sounds like Sullivan's travelogue of getting to know Thoreau. He tries to make useful comparisons to our own day and time. And I found his commentary on "Walden" especially interesting. He says it's actually full of humor - Thoreau's humor - which doesn't always make sense to us today. I haven't read any other books on Thoreau, so I can't say if I agree or disagree with the picture he paints of Thoreau or how accurate it might be, but I like Sullivan's version of him, and maybe I'll give "Walden" another try.

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sullivan's primary goal for the reader is to dispell the misuse and misunderstanding of Thoreau and his philosophy, focused on discounting the popular notion of H.D. as a humorless isolationist.

This is a noble goal and one that I have aspired to in various settings when I felt the need. That brings me to the point that the Thoreau that Sullivan tries to portray is "The Thoreau I Do Know". I was fortunate enough to spend almost three weeks in Concord studying transcedentalist writers and their associated literary circles under the guidance of amazing professors during my sophmore year of college. That experience coupled with focused and somewhat regular readings of Walden continue to shape my ideas of Thoreau and his philosophy. So, Sullivan did not write this book for people like me.

He does, however, accomplish his goal by not only communicating the historical setting for Thoreau and his writings, but also presents a compelling case for Thoreau being very engaged in his community and owning a certain wit and humor in his writing that turned things on their heads to make his arguments. In addition, as always, I learned new aspects of Thoreau. Sullivan speaks at different points to his inventive mind and his family's pencil company. I also had forgotten about his brother's early death and the impact that seems to have had on him.

As far as writing, Sullivan was frustrating to read at first. I didn't find his humor all that...humorous. It seemed more distracting than magnetic. I also found him to be repetative, almost as if he forgot that he mentioned things in previous chapters (or maybe assumed the reader had forgotten).

Thoreau has always inspired me in his rally cry and attempts to "live deliberately". In my own life, the few times I feel that I abide in this mantra stand out as some of the hardest yet most rewarding. Too often I find myself looking back on periods of my life and realizing that passivity to the currents of life had taken over; I became too lazy in pursuit of faith or my marriage or meaningful change. These are the challenges and reminders that Thoreau presents to readers and fortunately, these are the attributes the Sullivan attempts to properly recast Thoreau.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

H.D. Thoreau is undoubtedly an oft-misunderstood figure in American letters. As he is in some sense a creature both of and out of his times, he stands alone (far surpassing his mentor Emerson) as a figure of initiative, simplicity, and uncommon sense. This little book helps to elucidate those facets of his personality which were mis-characteried as misanthropic, vainly rebellious, and antisocial.
Thoreau sought to bring an alchemistic balance to modern life such as it was- to find the Eratosthenian prism through which one might live a full and fully realized existence, apart from the mediocrity of consumerism, and apart from the everyday bigotry that could typify frontier culture in his time. Noted as an Abolitionist, Pacifist, and iconoclast, yet Thoreau could conceive "circumstances in which to kill or be killed might be the only recourse." The man was no spring tansy, gathering nuts in May.
Indeed, neither was he the solitary Luddite which today's modern "Green" movement as would like to lionize him... He and his family made their "fortune" manufacturing pencils. How's that, Treehugger? He sought to exemplify a form of individualism which has been miscast in today's world as "loner" and "asocial" when in fact, he thrived on human discourse, was held in the greatest of esteem (and sometimes, less) by his colleagues and his mentor, Emerson, as a lucid and erudite social critic, and yet, by pushing the boundaries even of their compliments and praise, by his very extreme reduction of his own needs, he was tarred with all those negative labels by a country that could but barely grasp the branch upon which he sat for decades.
It is signal that his work became better known only after his death, and that his influence only waxed then, as well. In a world that barely understands the meaning of individual greatness any longer, and indeed seeks to discount each individual's attempt for such as "delusions of grandeur", Thoreau still yet points out the way, and perhaps, the only way and method, by which a man might rise above the herd by sheer virtue and integrity.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

I guess when it comes down to it this is the Thoreau I didn't really care about knowing. Overall I've never had much interest in Thoreau despite myself being a staunch environmentalist, which makes sense since I have never really considered Thoreau much of one--at least not one as it is known today. There is simply far too much time and change between Thoreau's time and now for his "environmentalism" to mean much of anything, honestly the farthest I think one can safely go back is to Rachel Carson. I did, however, find it interesting that we continue to go through the same cycles of economic downturn, job loss, technology-blaming and xenophobia as we continue to do today. Now that has not changed since Thoreau's time.

The most interesting aspects of the book for me had little to nothing to do with Thoreau and that was the historical ongoings of the time of his life. I honestly did not walk away from the book liking Thoreau terribly much. He displayed his own forms of xenophobia and irritating behaviors, like chopping down trees and being responsible for a major forest fire in the Concord area. I found it rather irritating that after every transgression by Thoreau noted by the author the author seemed to feel the need to essentially say "now before you judge" or "I don't think he meant THAT the way you think" etc. In other words, there was some apologizing being done.

Overall I found the writing a bit tedious and dull. The author frequently enjoyed using quotes that did not necessarily bolster his previous statements. He also managed to arrange some chapters in such a way that it was difficult to grasp what the hell he was trying to accomplish in that chapter with all of his jumping around. I would only recommend this for Thoreau enthusiasts.

[Ancient Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but comes off as too apologetic at times.

I'm a little torn on how to rate this book. Yes, I did in fact learn quite a bit about Thoreau that I did not know prior to having read this book, so mission accomplished there. However, I became tired of Sullivan's constant need to apologize for this, that, and the other thing when it comes to Thoreau.

Look, Thoreau isn't necessarily for everyone. You can't get around that, neither should anyone feel like they have to apologize for that. I know that the author has the best of intentions in trying to make Thoreau more palatable for certain people with their various criticisms, and I do appreciate Sullivan's efforts to provide his audience with more context concerning the age and place of Thoreau as a way to help us better understand his writing and it's intended message, but at a certain level, Thoreau is what you might call a philosopher with a punk rock soul. Like the ancient Cynics, a fundamental part of who Thoreau was involved going against the grain. Being that guy who not everyone is going to like and agree with.

I don't think one should ever have to try and apologize for someone's ideas as being too deep, philosophical, or unconventional. It seems like the author feels compelled to transform Thoreau's image into that of a more likeable, lighthearted jokester than that of a radical critic of technology and civilization who meant to be somewhat out there in what he was saying.

Thoreau cannot be domesticated, neither would he wish to be so - bourgeoisie opinions and conventional wisdom be damned!

[Mark Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The deeper I waded into reading Sullivan's literary biography of Thoreau, the more I enjoyed it. At first, his tone seemed flippant, even cheeky, but I grew to appreciate his insights. I especially enjoyed reading his pages on Thoreau as trickster, punster, and prankster; although he didn't provide any exegesis on Thoreau's long paragraph in Villages in which he describes his encounter with Concord akin to his passage through the alimentary tracts (my favorite), he presented some of the 19th Century cultural items that the Concord Bard ridiculed.

His explication of Thoreau's essay, "Civil Disobedience," I also fond affirming. It is not merely a libertarian or anarchist screed but (conversely) a call for dedicated citizenship, a plea for political engagement. Sullivan cites another Thoreau biographer, Harding, as noting that reading Walden is the perfect antidote to Mein Kampf. I had always thought Walden was the perfect antidote to the rampant materialism and consumerism of our culture--afflictions particularly acute in the Holiday Season. But the point is this: Walden is not about dropping out of society but rather about using solitude to center one's self in order to engage fully with whatever life has to offer. In or out of society, simplify, be awake, be deliberate, and be true to your own self.

Last, I became touched in Sullivan's final chapter. At the risk of making his book 40 pages longer, he provides his personal account of traveling to visit Concord and the Pond, writing about his personal encounter with the author of Walden. It was moving--an apt flower placed at the plague of his visitation.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several chapters in the book was thoroughoutly entertaining and informative, but I found myself scanning through the sentences at times. Sullivan did a good job depicting Thoreau in a different light, a more human one who lived in his times, reacted to the context of his American society, and struggled without much plaudits rewarding him for his toils. Anyone who've read Walden more than once have already envisioned Thoreau as something more than the two-dimensional mythical portrait of him as a reclusive hermit, and this book confirms it, going deeper into his life. But was it worth my time? It is just that, a reaction against the ignorance of the masses. If you want to know Thoreau, turn no further than Walden or Civil Disobedience, or any of his works, and soak in his words slowly and deliberately.

The redeeming chapter is the final one, showing the varying perceptions of his posterity, some negative, mostly positive, briefly touching on the impact of his works. After eleven chapters of slugging through Thoreau's unsuccessful enterprises and books, you begin to appreciate Thoreau for being who he was, so steadfastly unapologetic. He never sold himself to the masses, at the same time, he did it for the masses, and we are reaping his wisdom.

[Tiffany Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Music is the sound of the circulation in nature's veins." —Thoreau in Walden

Few associate Henry David Thoreau as a lover of music and dancing, but if you read "The Thoreau You Don't Know," you'll learn a lot about the man who wrote "Walden" that you don't yet know about him. Rather than the recluse that some are often want to painting him as, Robert Sullivan sets out an argument for Thoreau as someone who knew his neighbors and often had visitors even while at Walden Pond.

I learned so much about Thoreau and those he was friends with at the time, including Emerson and Walt Whitman. It's hard to imagine what his life was like, though he writes about it often, since Thoreau had many odd jobs, many well-known author friends and seemed to have tons of free time in between to write, walk and be to himself.

I can definitely relate to Thoreau as a person who not only enjoys being around others, but also likes being alone and observing life. A minimalist at heart, I find his time at Walden very romantic and exciting.

The depth of the insight in this book should not be missed by anyone who wants to learn more about Thoreau, or even the time period and area he lived in.

[sdw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Sullivan's book captures the Thoreau that I do know. His book provides the context for Thoreau's writing (including but not limited to Walden ) that a college course would ideally provide. If you have studied Thoreau extensively, you may appreciate a well-written reminder of that which you know. If you have never taken a course on Thoreau or if you had a hard time appreciating Thoreau in your college or high school courses, this book should increase your enjoyment of Thoreau's writings. Sullivan discusses the economic context for Thoreau's writings, important bibliographic information, his relationship to transcendentalists, his relationship to abolitonism, a variety of his writings (including my favorite, Cape Cod), and hints for getting Thoreau's style (and humor).

Sullivan draws almost entirely on existing literary criticism and biographies of Thoreau, providing a nice synthesis and example of how to write accessible and engaging literary criticism and literary biography.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Troubled by the recent article in The New Yorker that bashed Thoreau unfairly with every major misreading of his work and misconception about the man himself, I found this book at the library and thoroughly enjoyed it. Robert Sullivan does a masterful job of searching for the real Thoreau in contemporary letters, books, and memoirs as well as in Thoreau's own journals, essays, and letters. Sullivan takes on all the major misconceptions of who T really was, often points out how they originated, and disproves them in this lively, engaging appreciation of the man and his work. He discusses all of the major works while telling the story of T's brief life, yet the book never feels like a ponderous biography or dry literary criticism. He salts the text with a number of relevant quotations from T's work, and the final chapter not only surveys the quality of the works written about T for the next 100 years but also details Sullivan's own visit to the Walden Pond cabin site. This is a gem of a book and a must-read for anyone who is interested in Thoreau's life and work.

[Mark Schofield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a serious student of Thoreau and I have to admit that I was apprehensive about purchasing this book. I waited to read it until I could get a free copy at the library. I was unsure that Sullivan was up to the task. Although his books are well researched I would call him a scholarly writer.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I connected with this book as a Thoreau partisan. During my academic career I have found that Thoreau oftentimes comes in second to Emerson , it was great toi see somebody willing to fight to win Thoreau back his own. It was even better to read a writer who was willing to go against stereotypes and present a Thoreau who is relevant to our modern reality.

Sullivan is best when he is taking about the life. He tended to lose me when he went into the works in depth (particularly Walden). I will always remember his description of Thoreau and Whitman walking in Brooklyn.

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

At one point in the book, Sullivan cites "one of those Thoreau quotes that can be considered either corny, or absolutely true": "Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." With his book, Sullivan proves, (through extensive research and insightful, imaginative analysis) that Henry David Thoreau is a man for this season. Sullivan writes, "The great problem with Walden, as it reads to me today, is that we think of it as a prescription. . .when, in fact, it's a work of art, a public art piece. It's a place that Thoreau crafted with the intention, I would argue, of inspiring you to build your own." We all owe Sullivan a big thank you for rescuing Thoreau from the false and limited reputation presented in most high school literature textbooks--and restoring him to his rightful place as a complex, forward thinking, sociable individual.

[Sara Van Dyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reader looking for a detailed biography of Thoreau might look elsewhere, but Sullivan offers something different, more akin to a series of essays. His subtitle lets us know right away what he’s up to: “What the Prophet of Environmentalism Really Meant.” The author has crafted a sketchy biography of HDT (meaning that every part of HDT’s life isn’t accorded equal attention), and then examines details of his writings and experiences and connects those with current topics: Abu Ghraib, taxes, mortgages, the environment, work. And at the end of the book, Sullivan walks to Walden Pond (I don’t want to say more in case you havn’t read the book yet). He finds, and we see, new and unexpected relationships between the past and the present, between nature and the city. Our worship of pristine, wild spaces, Sullivan suggests, may in fact fool us into missing a clearer vision of what surrounds us. Highly recommended – and being a Thoreau fan is not required.

[Jinxi Caddel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Thoreau's since first reading him in high school, but never appreciated him as much as I do now. Robert Sullivan provided such a delightful peek into Thoreau as a person. I was curious to read the book just to learn more about T, but was pleasantly surprised by how engrossed I got in the details of his life. What an interesting character he was. Always a bit of a rebel and eccentric, he was so much more than the HDT most of us envision when relying on Walden to paint the picture of his persona. The book illustrates Thoreau's struggles with achieving the acceptance that he always yearned for as a writer and sheds light on so many aspects of his years in Concord, MA. I was really impressed with the balance that Sullivan maintained in terms of history, biography and social issues of the time. A great read! I certainly want to read more of Robert Sullivan's writings.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Sullivan, a masterful observer of life, is a writer I'd follow anywhere, but in the case of "The Thoreau You Don't Know", Sullivan's topic squared up neatly with a reading bent I've been on for the last 3 years or so: the American 19th Century.

I stepped into this book armed with little more than a liberal arts 100 level name-recognition knowledge of the Transcendentalists, and some survey course info about Thoreau as a hermit who didn't pay taxes and loved nature. Needless to say, I had much room to learn, and Sullivan presents Thoreau's life in his times wonderfully, and contrasts and sifts through the critiques of Thoreau that have grated on through the years. Near the end, Sullivan quotes Walt Whitman, who noted about Thoreau that "he looms up bigger and bigger. His dying does not seems to have hurt him a bit. Every year has added to his fame."

[Dan Pool]

The key point I learned and it offers a whole new perspective on Thoreau is when Thoreau went to Walden Pond, he wasn't seeking to live in an unspoiled wilderness. He was in reality on a vacant lot on the edge of town -- 1.5 miles from Concord. It is better to think of him as a Roman philosopher like Diogenes, who seemed like a logical forerunner, when he lived in a ceramic jar and preached simplicity in Roman markets, much like HDT did when he lived in a small cabin and preached few possession. The author does a pretty good job of applying much of Thoreau's thinking to modern America. Though, there are some places where he may be making inside-jokes that frankly I didn't get, or maybe they were just convoluted writing.

Overall, I was not a huge fan of Thoreau. I did a college paper on him and for no clear reason, thought I would revisit him. Glad I did. A satisfying book.

[Ann Woodlief · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, better than "Woodsburner" on several points. Sullivan is no scholar, but he understands Thoreau better than most people do--at least, the Thoreau I always saw. It's audacious to say that we "don't know Thoreau" but few authors have had as many wrong-headed stereotypes attached to them. Maybe the problem is that his words often hit very close to the reader's bone, so they categorize him and leave him be. Readers often miss his humor, his conviviality, his desperate struggle against his health and a world just as confusing and financially bankrupt as our own, trying to be a writer when there's just no place for what he must write in his world (and no money either). This is extremely readable--the author has his own sharp sense of humor.