Twenty years have passed since Wilderness Press published my little book of “meditations” in 2002:

Meditations of Henry David Thoreau: A Light in the Woods

Following my first book, Meditations of John Muir, Henry came second in the series of six books that included Emerson, Whitman, Fuller and Burroughs.

Thoreau is still outstanding in the fields of freethought and the wilds of wisdom and wonder!

from the Introduction:

“Thoreau walked into the natural world and felt the world walk into him … Fiercely independent yet welcoming enlightened human society, he constantly went to the forest for the inspiring companionship of ‘kindred’ Nature.  There he found, again in Emerson’s words, that his closeness with Nature ‘inspired his friends with curiosity to see the world through his eyes, and to hear his adventures.’ “

A tidbit of wisdom for meditation/contemplation/reflection from Henry (selection #15):

“As the truest society approaches always nearer to solitude, so the most excellent speech finally falls into Silence. Silence is audible to all men at all times, and in all places. She is when we hear inwardly, sound when we hear outwardly. Creation has not displaced her, but is her visible framework and foil. All sounds are her servants, and purveyors, proclaiming not only that their mistress is, but is a rare mistress, and earnestly to be sought after. They are so far akin to Silence that they are but bubbles on her surface, which straightway burst, and evidence of the strength and prolificness of the undercurrent; a faint utterance of Silence, and then only agreeable to our auditory nerves when they contrast themselves with and relieve the former. In proportion as they do this, and are heighteners and intensifiers of the Silence, they are harmony and purest melody.

Silence is the universal refuge. . . .”

Selected five-star reviews:

“Chris Highland has done me and other readers a service by selecting from Thoreau’s work short meditations that reveal Thoreau’s great love for the outdoors and the power nature had for him in his life.”

“I love this book so much that I have purchases 6 more as gifts….My favorite story to share is that I gave “Mediations of Henry David Thoreau: A Light in the Woods” to my son on his 40th birthday, writing that I wanted him to slow down, sit on his porch and read it. Best advice a mother could give!”

“This a wonderful book. It certainly can be read very quickly, but why would you want to? Take your time and enjoy the words on the pages. See and feel the beauty in all things the way Thoreau did. After reading a selection from the book, I always came away with good feelings, very serene.”

“I love this book, keep it in my day pack to read when out day hiking or overnighting it. Highly recommend.”

And this recent enthusiastic response:

“I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your amazing works! I have always been a reader but the last few months I have been unable to find anything to keep my interest, then one day while visiting the Adirondacks I found Meditations of Henry David Thoreau and I couldn’t put it down, I then purchased Meditations of John Muir and Meditations of John Burroughs and I couldn’t put those down either … I look forward to reading more of your books as you have become one of my favorite authors!”