D.E.A.R. Thoreau,
Henry David Thoreau was a well-educated philosopher, an individualist, and writer who has inspired many. His essays, books, and poetry amount to more than 20 volumes. Thoreau has left lasting impact through his writing on natural history, philosophy and environmentalism. For Thoreau, the most reliable observer is one who can “see things as they are, grand and beautiful.” The beauty and grandeur of the world really are there to be seen, even if we are not always capable of seeing them.
Thoreau was an activist who spoke out against the Mexican War, the subjugation of Native Americans, and campaigned fiercely for the environment. He was involved in the abolitionist movement, participating in the Underground Railroad, protesting against slave laws, and supporting other abolitionists. His essay on “Civil Disobedience,” later influenced the political thoughts and actions of many notable figures, including Martin Luther King Jr.
Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts into a modest New England family. He studied at Harvard College, taking classes in rhetoric, Greek and Roman philosophy, mathematics, and science. After graduating, he was mentored by Ralph Waldo Emerson, who took a great interest in Thoreau and introduced him to local writers and thinkers. He worked briefly as a teacher and tutor to Emerson’s children, a pencil maker, and began writing and publishing essays. With a deep interest in simple living and nature, Thoreau wrote about his personal experiences and close observations in nature.
Thoreau’s most famous work, Walden, or Life in the Woods, is an account of two years of solitude in a cabin in the wilderness examining the importance of life itself. This experiment of simple living was an intensive time of thinking as Thoreau reflected on the meaning of life.
This classic American work is about natural harmony, simplicity, and beauty within one calendar year. With only 28 dollars, he built a cabin in the Concord woods next to the shores of Walden Pond. He was a naturalist and appreciated nature, animals, plants, and the seasons each year brings. To him, fulfillment came from quiet concentration, simple labor, and a life attentive to the lessons of nature.
He found he was satisfied without the trappings of the modern world. He grew his own food and lived deliberately, instead of automatically following the pressures of society. Thoreau’s narrative soars to poetic heights, and his writing inspired respect for nature, and some consider the birth of the conservation movement.
We hope to inspire you to “Drop Everything And Read” this April, to learn and grow, and share with others. You can find his books in the USFWS Conservation Library. Make everyday a D.E.A.R. day!
