WALDEN & CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

In 1845, Henry David Thoreau began building a cabin at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. The inspiring and lyrical book that resulted is both a record of the two years Thoreau spent in withdrawal from society and a declaration of independence from the oppressive mores of the world he left behind. Elegant, witty, and quietly searching, Walden remains the most persuasive American argument for simplicity of life and clarity of conscience. By virtue of its casual, offhandedly brilliant wisdom and the easy splendor of its nature writing, Thoreau's account of his immersion in solitude has become a signpost for the modern mind in an increasingly bewildering world. Also included in this edition is Thoreau's famous essay, "Civil Disobedience," inspired by his anti-war and anti-slavery sentiments, which has influenced nonviolent resistance movements around the world ever since.