Walden - Thoreau

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WaldenWalden by Henry David Thoreau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first time I bumped on Walden was when it was mentioned in passing in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". I had dutifully added it to my 'To-Read' list and most conveniently forgotten, until it re-surfaced in the most unlikely place- "Dead Poet's Society"

"I went to the Woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out the marrow of life! To put to rout all that was not life. and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

The quote overwhelmed me. It was then that I realized that procrastination just wasn't admissible anymore. It had to be now.

And thus, I picked the book.

Oh Mr. Thoreau!

Your work was more annoying than enlightening.

Through this book, I wanted to revel in the joys of solitude. Well, I did get it, added with too many sermons, as if I were a devotee of God listening to you from the pew.

What I loved about the book : The travel through Walden Lake, Flint's Pond, the Lincoln Hills, hooting owl and the cracking of ice in the pond, foxes, the industrious squirrel, rabbits and the thieving jays. Who is stealing whose food? We from them? or they from us?

The life of Thoreau in the woods is enjoyable and interesting. The thoughts of the Harvard-educated writer are intelligent. I would have relished his masterpiece better, but for his occasional, or rather often vainglorious attitude towards the uneducated.

He takes too much pride in sharing his exquisite financial knowledge to people who least value it. He has absolutely no respect for people below his so called 'standard'

A man who is capable to enjoying solitude and nature is incapable of kindness, if so, why record such nasty incidents in this wonderful chef-d'oeuvre?


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