In Walden, Thoreau’s masterpiece work, he exclaims, “Simplify! Simplify!” His words are a clarion call to a new generation seeking a life of freedom and simplicity. Thoreau wrote his book during and after the two years, two months, and two days he spent living in a one room cabin that he built for himself on the shore of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Far from being a hermit and a “lay about” as many supposed, Thoreau spent time visiting neighbors and family while working in his family’s pencil factory, doing surveying work, and writing his journals and books. Walden was originally published in 1854, but its appeal is universal and evergreen. Now, newly edited and presented for a modern audience by Caroline D. Grimm, author of Echoes of Walden, Thoreau’s work will continue to inspire generations to come.
