Springtime with Henry David Thoreau: Better Hiker Episode 2
Henry David Thoreau was a transcendentalist author who believed in the inherent goodness of people and nature. Best known for his guide to outdoor-living and self-reliance that is Walden, or perhaps his essay on Civil Disobedience, Thoreau praised the power of the individual while condemning the corruption of societal institutions.
In this episode we read through the springtime entires of Thoreau’s personal journals, delving into the three themes he loved to write about the most: his observations of nature, his transcendental philosophies, and his opinions on writing. He’s also a big goofball, by the way. Just listen and you’ll hear about all of the wild rodents he liked to play with.
Much like how Henry David Thoreau used the passage of the four season in Walden to symbolize human development, so too are we going to look at Thoreau himself through the seasons. In future episodes we will explore Henry David Thoreau’s summer, autumn, and winter entries to see how his external observations and internal philosophies shifted with the passing of the seasons.
Now we start with Spring. It is a time of new life— of new beginnings, and is the perfect season to first experience Thoreau’s curiosities. We also highlighted Thoreau’s childlike fascination with nature in our article Thoreau and His Squirrel.
Music: Cold Spring by Luno
