Henry David Thoreau's Tree-Inspired Creativity

"Trees were central to Henry David Thoreau’s creativity as a writer, his work as a naturalist, his thought, and his inner life...

Thoreau lived at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts
from 1845 to 1847, now a state nature reserve

When he wrote in The Maine Woods that the poet loves the pine tree like his own shadow in the air, he was speaking about himself. In short, he spoke their language."

"What drew him to trees? Their beauty and form delighted his eye. Their wildness struck a chord in him, and their patience reminded him that we will sooner overtake the dawn by remaining here, where we are, than by chasing the sun across the western hills. By spending his life rooted to Concord, he emulated trees’ tenacious hold on earth."

—Richard Higgens, Author of Thoreau and the Language of Trees

Read more and see more photographs at "Thoreau & Trees: A Visceral Connection" at American Forests

Books at Bridge Street Books of Georgetown
2814 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 965-5200