Walden By Henry David Thoreau

 It is incredible to see that I am ready with the review of my childhood favorites, that propelled me towards philosophy and to cherish the novelty of nature! When I conjectured it would put me to sleep, this book woke me in ways inexplicable! 😊

 

A perfect example of a book whose likeability is sheerly based on the reader’s age, circumstances and future-wants-and-desires. If one wants to be a minimalistic, this one is for you. If one wants to enjoy the materialistic side of life, this will surely irk you!

 

Being a ginormous, bulky and a slow, difficult read, I highly recommend to make it your bed-side read. Devouring hungrily, but in bit-and-pieces!

 

Though there are swarming youtubers, already professing the same idea including modern-life concepts, but this book of the 1800s, will never lose its charm and chastity for me!

 

One can foray into the brilliant forage and live vicariously along with Thoreau. For the ones, acclimatized with the realities and struggles of life, this book is a treat!

 

The descriptions of pond, the woods, ice and rain, winter and spring, are so vivid, that one would carry along their alluring effect for ages, and keep living in a brilliant epiphany! Atleast I did!

 

This book turned out to be a mental-mediation for me.

One needn’t physically transport himself to Walden or some alike place to experience the serenity and calmness, but can relish his artful words, amidst the hubbub of life, and the chaos and demands of life! 😊

 

Thoreau has openly challenged the materialistic ways of living, and hence suffered the brunt. Many retaliated and called him a hypocrite. He made people to confront themselves at the core of their reckless lives, and hence many were instigated. Afterall truth hurts! 😊

 

The world and the people in it have been losing their ground, being a part of the fierce rat-race, and Walden is that medicine that helps its readers to keep gaining what they have lost bit-by-bit! 😊

 

Walden delivers a vantage point, with which we can purview the world and our lives most vividly. The stage we are in, and the alterations needed! 😊

 

Thoreau chose a place (Walden) within a few miles of this hometown (Concord), away from his existing neighbors. What I appreciate is- he never wanted to be a Hermit, very well relished the visitors and often walked to town. (I felt an ephemeral similarity between him and the character- Grenouille from Perfume- The Story of the Murderer, in which for a brief time he goes into the caves to live all by himself and for himself)

 

Now without any further adulations for the book, let me jump right into the chapters’ synopsis.

There are many chapters, but would share only the impactful ones (without any spoilers 😊)-

 

The book begins with “Economy”, in which he delves into the tenets of living and talks about why he started living at Walden.

 

Then we have "WHERE I LIVED, AND WHAT I LIVED FOR", in which he described the environment of his cabin, and ruminates on the materialistic possessions, mindful and wakeful living, connecting them all to his experiment!

 

Thereafter, in the "SOUNDS", he defines “reading” being an indoor activity, but balances it by pointing on the positive experiences garnered once he was outside the cabin exposed to the sounds of nature, of humans, and the railroad.

 

My favorite chapter is, "SOLITUDE" in which he discusses the delights of being alone; and defines it as his best companion. (Reminded me of King Lear)

 

Not being a hermit, in "VISITORS", he discusses about all the notable visitors, keeping three chairs in his cabin, and claimed to have had 25-30 souls under his roof, ofcourse along with their bodies :P

 

There are numerous interesting chapters, but I don’t want to explode this review, so finally jumping onto the last chapter-

 

In "CONCLUSION", Thoreau sums up explicating why he left the lake and what he gained from his experience. He also speaks volumes about the individual and society, about living well, about finding the truth! He concludes the novel with the following lines-

 

“I do not say that John or Jonathan will realize all this; but such is the character of that morrow which mere lapse of time can never make to dawn. The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star.”

 

Leaving you all with one of my favorite excerpts from this book, to ruminate-

 

“Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. It is not important that he should mature as soon as an apple tree or an oak. Shall he turn his spring into summer? If the condition of things which we were made for is not yet, what were any reality which we can substitute? We will not be shipwrecked on a vain reality. Shall we with pains erect a heaven of blue glass over ourselves, though when it is done we shall be sure to gaze still at the true ethereal heaven far above, as if the former were not?”

 

 

I have forever loved and treasured this prodigious-read, and shower a mammoth 5-stars! 😊