The Quotable Thoreau

Few writers are more quotable than Henry David Thoreau. His books, essays, journals, poems, letters, and unpublished manuscripts contain an inexhaustible treasure of epigrams and witticisms, from the famous (“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”) to the obscure (“Who are the estranged? Two friends explaining”) and the surprising (“I would exchange my immortality for a glass of small beer this hot weather”). The Quotable Thoreau, the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of Thoreau quotations ever assembled, gathers more than 2,000 memorable passages from this iconoclastic American author, social reformer, environmentalist, and self-reliant thinker. Including Thoreau’s thoughts on topics ranging from sex to solitude, manners to miracles, government to God, life to death, and everything in between, the book captures Thoreau’s profundity as well as his humor (“If misery loves company, misery has company enough”). Drawing primarily on The Writings of Henry D. Thoreau, published by Princeton University Press, The Quotable Thoreau is thematically arranged, fully indexed, richly illustrated, and thoroughly documented. For the student of Thoreau, it will be invaluable. For those who think they know Thoreau, it will be a revelation. And for the reader seeking sheer pleasure, it will be a joy.

• Over 2,000 quotations on more than 150 subjects
• Richly illustrated with historic photographs and drawings
• Thoreau on himself and his contemporaries
• Thoreau’s contemporaries on Thoreau
• Biographical time line
• Appendix of misquotations and misattributions
• Fully indexed
• Suggestions for further reading

Awards and Recognition

• Recipient of an Umhoefer Prize for Achievement in Humanities, Arts and Humanities Foundation in 2011
• Selected for “The Best of the Best” Program at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference