“By turning the experiment of life into a heroic task he was able to turn Walden from a philosophical tract of unattainable goals into a guide for the perplexed.”

Jeffrey Cramer argues that if you read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden as an autobiographical record, you are bound to be disappointed.  (After all, Thoreau was selective about what he included, and the bits he didn’t write about – such as having his sisters do his laundry – seem to undercut … Read More

“It is the height of art that on the first perusal plain common sense should appear — on the second severe truth — and on the third beauty. . .”

Thoreau croppedOn Thanksgiving Day, I am particularly thankful for great writers. At the top of my list of favorites this year is Henry David Thoreau. I’ve loved Walden for decades, but now, thanks to the work of editor Jeffrey Cramer, I’m reading about what was happening “behind the scenes.” Cramer is … Read More