Thoreau on Freedom: Attending to Man
For everyone who has equated Thoreau's name with nature writing, this little book promises a big surprise. Thoreau's thoughts on freedom, as collected and distilled here, provoke us to re-examine the meaning of the word -- for society and for the individual. Once again, Thoreau stretches our minds in ways never imagined. Penetrating, timeless, and sometimes revelatory. The editor's introduction is worth the price of the book alone. --Reviewer: A reader from Burlington, VT
In his introduction, editor Jeffrey Cramer tells us that of the more than 2 million words that Thoreau wrote in his journal, "less than twenty thousand are on the subject of slavery." Cramer has compiled an extraordinary collection of such writings in this book. In the first half of the book, we find Thoreau's eloquence on the immorality and injustice of slavery, his reproachment of the State of Massachusetts for justifying its expedient use of the Fugitive Slave Law, and his disgust with the majority of citizens who do nothing to act on their convictions. Thoreau's belief that individual action can make a difference is constant throughout his writings here and of course, emblematic of his own life. "It is not important that many should be as good as you, as that there be some absolute goodness somewhere; for that will leaven the whole lump."
In the second half of the book, Cramer includes Thoreau's writings on the broader concept of individual freedom, including the ability to be free from material comforts and societal expectations. It is here that we experience Thoreau's comfort with nature and his urging us to do the same.
I highly recommend this book. --Reviewer: Scott Greenberg from Massachusetts
