Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was born July 12, 1817. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts. He lived a wonderful life as a poet and essayist. Its sad to say that he pasted away on May 6, 1862 in Concord. The first year of his life his family moved away, but also returned five years later. He grew up in a village and later reached his manhood. His favorite thing about the village was the woodlands, streams, and meadows. He was the third child in his family.

As his life was expanding meeting new people he grew into a friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was also a poet and essayist. It made it easier for Thoreau to write. Their friendship started when Emerson settled in Concord during Thoreau's sophomore year at Harvard. In the year of 1837 they were great friends. If it wasn't for Emerson's self-reliance then he would still be Thoreau's friend.

Emerson's company made it possible for Thoreau's career choice to come true. In 1837, Emerson suggested that Thoreau keep a journal which covered thousands of pages before his final entry two months before his death. He then polished some essays he had written in college and then wrote some poems. It was going along great until his move.

He moved to Walden Ponds. In Concord Thoreau was involved in his family business which consisted of making pencils and graphite. By 1845 he got tired of the family business so he went and took up an idea of one of his Harvard classmates who built a waterslide. As spring came Thoreau picked a spot near Walden Pond,

Which is a small glacial lake located two miles south of Concord.Thoreau's life was moving on and so wasn't his home. Thoreau left Walden after he passed the peak of his career. His life was losing most of its illumination. His career was heading down hill. He was losing his transcendentalism slowly. Thoreau had to become a surveyor to support himself. He had a new collection evolving. His collection contained botanical specimens for himself and reptilians for Harvard which he used to jot down descriptions in his journal.

Thoreau's appearance spoke mostly of his life. A complete failure. His neighbors saw him as a familiarity verging on contempt. He printed his first book which was kind of a good seller. His book was called A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, which sold nearly 220 copies. The remaining 700 books that weren't sold, the publishers dumped on his doorstep. His second and last book that was published was called Walden was fared better but still not a good seller.

Some of Thoreau's major works are listed... "Ktaadn and the Maine Woods" which was published in 1848 and revised in 1864, "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers; published in 1849. "Resistance to Civil Government" published in 1849 and then republished in 1866. Those some of Thoreau's journal entries that he published before his death in 1862. The writings of Henry David Thoreau,20 vol. is an edition of Thoreau's books, essays, and journals. This book is being replaced by Princeton Edition which is producing books of high knowledge. Collected poems by Thoreau is enlarged and edited by Carl Bode, brings together Thoreau's selected poems particularly in his younger years.

Henry David Thoreau died of tuberculosis. He lived his last few years knowing that he had that disease and prepared manuscripts for what proved to be posthumous publication. Late in the 20th century Thoreau was recognized as one of America's major literary thinkers.

Thoreau's first memory was staying awake at night "Looking through the stars to see if he could see God behind them." Ever since then he never stopped looking at them for ultimate truth. His favorite person in the world as he was growing up was his older brother John. John taught school to help pay for Henry's tuition at Harvard. Which