âWalkingâ (1851) is an essay by American naturalist, poet, essayist and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, best known for his book âWaldenâ (1854).
This pioneering work is one of Thoreauâs most famous essays and lauds the merits of immersing yourself in nature while it bemoans the inevitable invasion of private ownership upon nature and the wild.
Extolling the virtues of long afternoon walks, the soothing nature of time spent in the countryside and the lure of the wild for artists and writers, this insightful work will delight readers looking to expand their minds on the necessity of walks in nature.
Henry David Thoreau (1817 â 1862) was an American naturalist, poet, essayist and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book âWaldenâ (1854), a deliberation on simple living in natural surroundings, and his advocation of civil liberties in the essay âCivil Disobedienceâ (1849).
A lifelong abolitionist, he praised the writings of Wendell Phillips and defended the abolitionist John Brown, most notably with his works âA Plea for Captain John Brownâ (1859), âRemarks After the Hanging of John Brownâ (1859), and âThe Last Days of John Brown (1860)â.
Thoreau's philosophy of civil disobedience went on to influence writers and leading political figures across the world, including Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.