On any given day, you can stumble onto a blog and see a fantastic quote pulled from the pages of Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau. Quotes I love and use myself. Quotes like these:
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.
How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.
I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.
Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.
But I never read the book. Scandalous, right? It sure feels scandalous now.
Thoreau wrote this book in 1854, when much of the country was the kind of simple we now strive to become, yet he wished to escape from. In it he talks about anything from building his cabin, watching the animals, growing his own food and living simply, all from the perspective of a 19th century philosopher. Sounding heavenly? Promising, maybe?
I borrowed it from the library. Every fiber of my being told me I should love this book; told me within its worn and folded pages I’d finds nuggets of knowledge and inspiration. I thought for sure it would have me running to the hills in search of nature and solitude, at the very least.
Want to know my honest thoughts on Walden? I can’t believe I’m saying this…
I couldn’t stand it. I disliked it so much, I didn’t even finish it. (I don’t even know if those quotes come from this book, I just happen to like them!)
I told you it was scandalous. This dirt-worshippin’, tree-huggin’, cloth toilet paperin’, classic novel lovin’, Earth Mama retches at the thought of picking up a book renowned by eco-junkies everywhere for it’s theme of simplicity, self-reliance and conservation. Why?
I have never read so many pages of self-congratulatory, condescending, cynical or judgmental words in any other book! (No, I’ve never read Ann Coulter.)
Every page I managed to finish, instead of filled with wisdom or insight as I was hoping, was filled with one more reason why he was so much better than his neighbor; how he had it figured out and one-upped the other guy with his genius. It whined of childish rivalry, rather than the enlightened passion I was hoping to find. It was annoying. And it didn’t seem to end.
I couldn’t finish it. I can’t remember the last time I gave myself (or so badly wanted) permission to quit a book. And nothing you could say – I don’t care if I was two paragraphs away from the good stuff – can convince me to waste my time reading any more arrogance of that magnitude. I know he railed against some of the same things I sometimes loathe and did some of the same things I wish to do. But was it necessary to rub people’s face in it?
From now on, when I’m in need of homesteading inspiration, I’ll stick to Thoraeu for *quotes* and bloggers for inspiration.
You guys rock my face off. Walden, not so much.
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My name is Tara. I am a mama and a lover, a full-time nomad, a passionate devourer of Life and an Organic Life Coach.
I love some of his quotes, but I’ve never tried to read the book though I thought I would “one day”. Thanks – I won’t waste my time. I’d rather spend that time making vanilla extract or watching the butterflies in the garden. Being in the flow of the simple life rather than reading about it.
lol, Unfortunately, Thoreau is a transcendentalist who retains strong religious superiority. I read Walden with a constant frown until I realised he was giving me too many wrinkles that I could earn by myself thankyouverymuch.
I couldn’t agree more. I tried reading him not to long ago and I was bored stiff. I do love some of his quotes though.
Awesome review, Tara! You’ve said what so many of us have thought but don’t dare to speak aloud for fear of “intellectual repercussions”. I too have picked up and tried to read Walden many times, but I can’t get through it. It’s also, just, boring! I love your quotes, though, wherever they’re from…
I have to laugh, because I feel just the same way about him! I love his philosophy, I love the quotes, and I can’t stand the book. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have liked him in person, either, precisely because of that tone of arrogance. I’ve read the book twice, and I disliked it both times.
Wow, good to know! I’ve always wanted to read it, but have never found the time.
Don’t worry yourself about not finishing it. I can’t tell you how many “classics” I’ve started and not finished. But I’ve never understood “literature” anyway, it’s all Greek to me.
You guys have no idea how relieved I am that I’m not the only one out there that didn’t enjoy it. I thought for sure I’d get flamed! lol
I think that you have to take it in context. Male. Certain Era. I have a hard time with certain tone – yet I appreciate it and find much wisdom too (I like the quotes, basically). I have the same feelings about some W. Berry and some of the writing of the Nearing’s, and they are of only one earlier generation…I suppose ego plays a part in many ‘quests’ by man…to do better than, one up, or be more righteous. Environmental non-fiction does tend to have that ego somewhere in there…but there is something to learn, too, usually.
Of course Thoreau was never far from town, could go back whenever he wanted to, and participated in society much more than it seemed from the more monastic commentary of Walden. Ah well!
Yea, that pretty much sums up my impression as well. He says some good stuff, but my goodness was he ever arrogant about it.
Oh, I so agree with you. He has some powerful, inspiring quotes, but they have to be pulled from the original writing. Maybe he was the reason the media started using sound bites? lol
Great review.
How timely! I’ve just started reading Walden, and I’m finding myself surprised by the same things. Not sure if I’ll be able to finish it. It lingers beside my bed, but it seems to be sapping my energy, rather than inspiring me.
Leah says it best..it is also lingering as an afterthought on the bed stand. I work through it a section at a time but I am mostly uninspired by his words. Bravo for living like a poor country person from 1895. We are all glad a city man could survive.
I will put a plug in for my current reading Wendell Berry’s book: Home Economics.14 essays on rural America. Reads so much smoother and with a little hope, yet sadness for our dying Rural America that used to be.