Book Summary: Walden
Henry David Thoreau’s Walden was written while the author took a two-year break from the world, during which he lived in the woods on the northern shore of Walden Pond. During this time Thoreau lived a simple life, growing his own food and writing about the lessons he was learning.
Related Book Summaries:
The Obstacle Is The Way – Ryan Holiday
The Year Of Living Danishly – Helen Russell
Quotes:
I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.
Things do not change; we change.
Walden Book Summary Notes:
- Thoreau’s insights may be more true today than even back in 1845. He spoke of the sadness of people spending their lives to accumulate money to purchase houses only to need more money to fill them with useless trinkets. He considered this a ‘fools life.’
- One major problem he identified was that people no longer seemed to even have the time to read.
- When Thoreau told people of his plan, he was met with curiosity by some and others were worried for him, about his decision.
- Thoreau even went so far as to build his own small house and woodshed as well as a garden on the land. He outlined that so long as he had food, shelter, clothing and fuel for his fire that he would be fine.
- In 1845 a man moved into the woods in part because houses were now becoming more of a status symbol than a functional dwelling. Even back then he was way ahead of the times and things have only continued down the same path for most us since Thoreau’s time. It’s incredible to see the same issues plagued him back then as our generation is experiencing today.
- Despite what many thought Thoreau’s maintained a reasonable amount of company at his cabin, he even enjoyed the company of several nearby animals which became accustomed to him and that he would often feed.
- One of the biggest takeaways from his time in the woods is that we should all strive to cultivate simplicity. You don’t necessarily need to move into the wilderness but consider other steps in this direction instead.
