Top tags: philosophy, nature, classic, memoir, non-fiction (all tags)
“Have you been bombarded by complete strangers who wanted to know, after you have written a review, and/or made comments expressing your opinion of a book, whether they should read this book? And it isn't that they took the time to see who you are, then ask in a note, no, they just spammed you and everyone else on Shelfari who has said book on shelf. Does this irriate you? If so, you can do something about it: you can contact either of the two Shelfari reps below, or better yet, you can contact both of them and ask them to please remove the new and annoying feature that allows this spamming!http://www.shelfari.com/amandahttp://www.shelfari.com/timothygray”
“If I could only own and only be allowed to read one book for the rest of my life, this one would be it. Line after line speaks to my soul. I think of Thoreau's spirit and his words when I feel my life going off track, or feel that I'm losing connection with the thngs that matter in life. Every edition I own of this book has scribbled marginal notations throughout such as "so true," and "so important." I'll just share one such passage, from the first chapter, "Economy": "The greater part of what my neighbors call good, I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well? You may say the wisest thing you can, old man--you who have lived seventy years, not without honor of a kind--I hear an irresistable voice whch invites me away from all that. One generation abandons the enteprises of another like stranded vessels." It's easy to get stuck in the past, to resent the movement forward of ideas, experiences, social accomodations. But it's wrong. ”
“dirt as home, not dirt at home:) i mean a common man philosopher. i guess the common man is too busy with his hands in the dirt, or what ever it is he does to keep body and soul together...”
“:) who wants to look at dirt at home? All we have to do is look in the mirror or over the fence. Sometimes it's just nice to see it from a vacation point of view maybe that's why they call it "literature"? Oh forgot to add that I'm still wandering around in those woods just like everyone else---I'may have taken to many of those "roads less traveled". :) But on a serious note I think later in life Thoreau did take an extended wilderness trip and it scared him so bad he came back to really appreciate us normal everyday lost folks. :)”
“should have read philosopher who looks at dirt...”
“lifebook, well put, glad i give you some pleasure. sure, i love walden and also civil,guess we do all have to grow, but i wish he had stayed in the woods and given us the real experience of having to thrive under natural conditions. just amazed as i read it, the things he was yet to learn in the "great piece of life philosophy", as so much of the literati have declared it. be nice to read a philosophy who looks at dirt as home, not as a vacation.”
“Very nice collection of Thoreau's work. Perfect for anyone wanting to get better acquainted with Thoreau. ”
“thanks, glad to have someone watching my back:)”
“Actually, I felt the same way about Walden Pond. I just kept envisioning Thoreau and all his hard talking delivering his laundry to his mother every week and being afraid of Maine. ”
“thanks dawn, i have been a contrarian for 48 years, so far, so i am used to a little flack, i get worse, you should follow some of my exchaqnges with ayn rand fans:)i suppose a return to the feather bed, enhances the camping trip, but if i read him right, he was not proposing hie little nature adventure as a camping trip, but as a way of life that the rest of us might consider, therefore i perceive the hypocrisy. and as i said earlier, i think part of my resentment was my desire to do the same thing as a young man, but i got married at 21, actually to my surprise. i went on a road trip to see 5 old female school chums from college, only one had actually been a love interest, i expected to end my ramble down the ohio river in evansville ind and attend a week long writers conference. the first little girl i stopped off to see, presuaded my to stick around and cancel with the other girls and she had me eloping with her by the weeks end. a disaster on many levels, not the least that i never gott he formal training and the informal connections that i understand such conferences offer. along with the writing career, the stint in the isolated cottage went by the boards. i have been busy being a father or being married (3 times) or both ever since, by the time i make it out tot he woods, i will be too old to carry water and chop fire wood:)”