Letters to a Spiritual Seeker

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W. W. Norton & Company, 2004 - Authors, American - 266 pages
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The writing of Henry David Thoreau is as full of life today as it was when he published Walden one hundred years ago. In seeking to understand nature, Thoreau sought to "lead a fresh, simple life with God." In 1848 a seeker named Harrison Blake, yearning for a spiritual life of his own, asked the then-fledgling writer for guidance. The fifty letters that ensued, collected here for the first time in their own volume by Thoreau specialist Bradley P. Dean, are by turns earnest, oracular, witty, playful, practical— and deeply insightful and inspiring, as one would expect from America's best prose stylist and great moral philosopher.

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LibraryThing Review

User Review  - StephenBarkley - LibraryThing

Let me just confess something up front: I bought this book because of the beautiful canoe on the cover. Sure, I rationalized it in other ways. "Spiritual" in the title peaked my interest, and I did ... Read full review

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - NateJordon - LibraryThing

As always, Thoreau's words are as poignant today as they were 150 years ago. His musings on life and the purpose of it are a beacon to all seekers. His critique of society's ills continue to ring true ... Read full review

Selected pages

Contents

Introduction
11
A Note on the Texts
27
March 1848 from Blake
33
May 2 1848
40
August 10 1849
46
April 3 1850
52
Letter Nine August 9 1850
59
Letter Eleven September 1852
67
Letter Fourteen December 19 and 22 1853
93
Letter Seventeen September 21 1854
107
Letter Twentythree July 8 1855
121
Letter Twentyeight May 21 1856
134
Letter Thirtytwo February 6 1857
147
Letter Thirtyfour June 6 1857
150
Letter Forty July 1 1858
163
Letter Fortyfive October 31 1859
177

Letter Eleven Enclosure 2
76
Letter Thirteen April 10 1853
89
Letter Fortynine December 2 1860
192
Acknowledgments
263

Other editions - View all

Letters to a Spiritual Seeker
Henry David Thoreau
No preview available - 2005

Common terms and phrases

American answer appears asked August began Blake body Boston bread Brown called Cape chapter common complete Concord continued December delivered difference dream early edition Emerson essay excursion expect expression eyes fact fall feet fire five give hard hear Henry John journal July June keep late later leave lecture letter light living look Maine March Massachusetts matter means meet mentions Merrimack Rivers miles mind month morning Mount mountain nature never night North November October once perhaps poem poet probably published received refers respect returned river sense society soul speak spiritual spring stand Street suggested sure surveying tell things Thoreau thou thought town true Walden walk week Wild wood Worcester write wrote

About the author (2004)

Bradley P. Dean, an independent scholar living in West Peterborough, New Hampshire, has written extensively on Thoreau's life and writings, and has edited two of Thoreau's previously unpublished booklength manuscripts.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Letters to a Spiritual Seeker
TitleLetters to a Spiritual Seeker
AuthorHenry David Thoreau
EditorBradley P. Dean
Editionillustrated, annotated
PublisherW. W. Norton & Company, 2004
ISBN0393059413, 9780393059410
Length266 pages
  
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