The Maine Woods

Thoreau’s by far best known for Walden, but this is a contender for his best. He learned from the weaknesses in his earlier writings – no long digressions here, no frequent intrusions of bad poetry, the book’s conceived and structured well. And besides avoiding his earlier mistakes it’s a great story told well. Almost all of it is description of his Maine travels, but where he does wax philosophical it’s welcome, with his characteristically acute observations and a perspective that’s the opposite of provincial, whether in time, place, nation, culture, etc.

A man with a deep love of nature records his various trips into the woods of upstate Maine. Traveling by river with the help of Native American guides, he makes many remarks about the trees, plants, wildlife, and his experiences. Thoreau was in many ways ahead of his time and able to see to the day when all the wilderness would be gone. He predicts the disappearance of the bears, the moose, the Indians who had all been a part of the wild since time immemorial. He bemoans his culture's elevation of agriculture above preservation of the natural world.

But truly, the sermons are few and far between. He mostly simply enjoys nature for itself. He believes deeply that to be in the midst of nature is to better oneself and he takes his own show more beliefs to heart. It's a pleasant and peaceful book to meditate upon. Preferably outside. show less

Not as philosophical as Walden, but great to read in the morning sitting on the deck drinking coffee. Thoreau seemed to be mellowing when he wrote this: it's less of an indictment of the modern world of his time. He does lament the loss of so many trees in the eponymous woods, but he really seems to be enjoying everything he encounters, from the pork fat for breakfast to the drying of his soggy clothes by the fire to the overwhelming bulk of the moose his guides shoot. The most memorable character here is Joe Polis, his American Indian guide on the second excursion, who is a natural man, a business man, and a philosopher.

Henry D. Thoreau made three separate trips to Maine. Most of the Maine Woods is a descriptive narration about the journey and the nature witnessed along the way. From navigating rapids and hunting moose to observing flowers, trees, and small animals. From a cultural perspective, The Maine Woods paints a picture of Thoreau's interactions with the natives in Maine: especially their canoe building and cooking skills and their hunting and fishing practices. Thoreau wanted to learn from the natives ("I would tell him all I knew, and he should tell me all he knew" p 221).
Thoreau could not help but insert a little politics into his narrative from time to time.
While the narrative just ends abruptly, the appendix includes a list of trees, show more flowers, shrubs, and birds seen along the excursions. It also includes how to outfit and excursion with tents, tools, etc. There is also a glossary of Indian words and their meanings. show less

It's a magnificent journey into the Maine woods. His descriptions of the areas he traveled, the economies & lifestyle were very interesting. The only thing that detracted from this is my dislike of him. He continually borrows what he can't afford with little thought - seems like he feels it is his due. He judges others with an arrogance that is appalling & so offhand. He lacks any empathy towards others. He is fairly intelligent & knowledgeable, but his manner just puts me off.

This selections from the writings of Henry Thoreau is arranged by Dudley C. Lunt into a single trip around the Ktaadn country instead of three separate trips in previous editions.

The Maine Woods by Henry David Thoreau
1961 Book is broken up into different parts of Maine and then by category of trees, flowers and Indian words, etc.
I was fortunate to visit his cabin at Walden Pond in Concord, MA where you can walk and see how he lived there and survived on the land.
Loved the tips the Indian gave him on direction and how to use nature to tell you where you are and how to figure out where you needed to go to.
Really enjoyed the adventures and the things they saw together and at the very end is the index of trees and whether they are common or not and
other little tips during the trips stating what kind of tree to use for the fire to cook certain animals they had killed and why that particular tree.
So much to learn!
I show more received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). show less