100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

Walden

3.77 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 202,011 ratings, 8,924 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Walden, Henry David Thoreau chronicles his transcendental experiment of living simply and self-sufficiently in a cabin he built near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Through reflections on nature, personal development, and social criticism, Thoreau explores themes of simplicity, solitude, and connection to the natural world. This influential work highlights his philosophy of living deliberately and seeking deeper meaning beyond material wealth.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Walden. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're interested in exploring themes of simple living and self-sufficiency, or if you're fascinated by a philosophical reflection on nature and society. Through vivid descriptions and thoughtful introspection, it provides insight into the author's experiment of living in solitude and his quest for personal truth.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY BENJAMIN MARKOVITS

In 1845 Thoreau, a Harvard-educated 28-year-old, went to live by himself in the woods in Massachusetts.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One of America's most iconic literary masterworks, this edition marks the 200th anniversary of Henry David Thoreau's birth.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY BENJAMIN MARKOVITS

In 1845, Thoreau, a Harvard-educated 28-year-old, went to live by himself in the woods in Massachusetts. He stayed for over two years, living self-sufficiently in a small cabin built with his own hands. Walden is his personal account of the experience, in which he documents the beauty and fulfilment to be found in the wilderness, and his philosophical and political motivations for rejecting the materialism which continues to define our modern world.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Henry David Thoreau's Walden is celebrated for its profound impact, inspiring influential figures like Tolstoy and Gandhi. Critics have praised its foresight, likening it to an alternative manifesto and a powerful philosophical work. It is seen as a remedy for apathy and anxiety, offering a spiritual and self-help perspective with its lively spirit and sensory appeals.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784872410

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 July 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 223g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, the town where he would live for most of his life. Along with Ralph Waldo Emerson, he is the most famous of the American Transcendentalists, a group of philosophical thinkers who frequently explored the relationship between human beings and the natural world. He was educated at Harvard, and over the course of his life took on a number of different occupations, including lead-pencil maker, schoolteacher and surveyor. Thoreau was outspokenly critical of the American government, fervently opposed to slavery, and an advocate of passive resistance. Whilst Walden (1854) is his best-known work, his 1849 essay 'Civil Disobedience' has inspired non-violent political activists the world over, including Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr, and his nature writings are considered ground-breaking works in ecology. He died in his hometown of Concord in 1862.

Also by Henry David Thoreau

View all
  • Walden and Civil Disobedience
    In 1845, Henry David Thoreau moved into a cabin in the woods at Walden Pond to record a philosophical experiment in living: to simplify his life, to support himself entirely by his own labour, and to draw spiritual sustenance from his surroundings. The result was Walden: Or, Life in the Woods (1854). In 1846, Thoreau refused to pay a mandated...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Walden
    The ultimate gift edition of Walden for bibliophiles, aficionados, and scholars "Replaces all other available editions of Walden as the most attractive and reliable way to approach this great American book."β€”Joel Porte, author of Consciousness and Culture: Emerson and Thoreau Reviewed This is the authoritative edition of an American literary classic: Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, an elegantly written record of...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Walden
    Walden by Henry David Thoreau is a profound reflection on simple living in natural surroundings. Written in the mid-19th century, the book chronicles Thoreau's experiment in self-sufficiency and his quest to live "deliberately," amidst the serene backdrop of Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. Over the course of two years, two months, and two days, Thoreau immerses himself in nature, constructing...
    Hardback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Walden and Civil Disobedience
    HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish...
    Paperback
    $1299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Quotable Thoreau
    A comprehensive and authoritative collection of Thoreau quotations on more than 150 subjects, from beauty to wisdom Few writers are more quotable than Henry David Thoreau. His books, essays, journals, poems, letters, and unpublished manuscripts contain an inexhaustible treasure of epigrams and witticisms, from the famous ("The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation") to the obscure ("Who are...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Essays of Henry David Thoreau
    A definitive collection of Henry David Thoreau's major essays, annotated and introduced by Lewis Hyde. Diverging from the long-standing custom of separating Thoreau's politics from his interest in nature, renowned author Lewis Hyde brings together essays that highlight the ways in which these two strands of thought were intertwined. Here, natural history begins not with fish and birds, but with...
    Paperback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Walden and Civil Disobedience (Special Edition)
    In Walden, Thoreau explains how separating oneself from the world of men can truly awaken the sleeping self. Thoreau holds fast to the notion that you have not truly existed until you adopt such a lifestyle, and only then can you re-enter society as an enlightened being. These simple but profound musings, as well as Civil Disobedience, his protest against...
    Hardback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Walden / Civil Disobedience / and Other Writings
    As a unique feature, the Third Edition includes generous excerpts from Thoreau's journal, reprinted by special arrangements with Princeton University Press from the definitive edition of his writings. Spanning the years 1845-54, these selections vividly display Thoreau's intensive exploration of his local landscape; the fusion of literary and natural history field work that informs Walden, "Walking," and "Wild Apples"; and...
    Paperback
    $4299
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Walden
    One of the most influential and compelling books in American literature, Walden is a vivid account of the years that Henry D. Thoreau spent alone in a secluded cabin at Walden Pond. This editionβ€”introduced by noted American writer John Updikeβ€”celebrates the perennial importance of a classic work, originally published in 1854. Much of Walden's material is derived from Thoreau's journals...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Walden
    Thoreau's literary classic, an elegantly written record of his experiment in simple living, has engaged readers and thinkers for a century and a half. This edition of Walden is the first to set forth an authoritative text with generous annotations. Thoreau scholar Jeffrey S. Cramer has meticulously corrected errors and omissions from previous editions of Walden and here provides illuminating...
    Hardback
    $6599
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks
  • Walden [American Classics Edition]
    Pre-order
    Walden [American Classics Edition]
    One of the Library of Congress’s β€œBooks That Shaped America” One of The Guardian's 100 Best Nonfiction Books β€œWalden...is arguably the most important work of literary nonfiction in the American canon.” β€”New York Times In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalogue. Walden...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Pre-order
    Out 1 Sep 2026
  • October, or Autumnal Tints
    Originally delivered as a lecture shortly before the writer's own death, Henry David Thoreau's classic Autumnal Tints is an ode to autumn not as the season of death and decay, but of ripeness, fullness, and maturity. It is perhaps the best piece ever written on the subject of the fall colour of the changing leaves. Thoreau hoped one day to...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunΒ wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herΒ journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    Stakes
    Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the author’s bestselling memoirΒ Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampire’s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stoker’sΒ Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Built for This
    Raised among strong women, butcher's benches, and hard ideas about what men are meant to be, Brad Poulter grows up knowing he's different long before he has the words for it. But in late '90s small-town New Zealand, 'different' isn't discussed, it's managed. Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy offers escape, certainty, and belonging. The rules are clear, the uniform...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Even the Good Girls Will Cry
    Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur's first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa's talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    An Ocean and a Day
    An utterly riveting, moving and poignant memoir of grief and loss that will speak to anyone who's ever lost someone they love. An Ocean and a Day is Hannah Richell's personal account of losing her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident on Tamarama beach in 2014. It is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Place to Stand
    A Place to Stand by Clare Ward is a profound memoir that delves into the life of a country doctor living and working in the Hokianga Harbour area in the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. This region is sparsely populated and poses numerous health challenges. This thoughtful account details Clare’s thirty-year career, highlighting the people she works with and...
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Rule of Lies
    Written with all the pace and energy of a John Grisham novel … An incredible true story and a great read! BILL BROWDER, author of Red Notice and Freezing Order An American lawyer’s brilliant, propulsive story of witnessing and playing a part in the transformation of Russia under Yeltsin and Putin. A true tale of fascinating personalities, criminal intrigue, harrowing...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Rory
    TheΒ New York TimesΒ bestseller The #1Β Irish TimesΒ bestseller The definitive biography of Rory McIlroy, the most important, popular and confounding player of the post-Tiger era. Rory McIlroy contains multitudes. The child of a working-class family from a small town in a war-torn homeland now commutes to work in his own private jet and counts billionaires as confidants. He can overwhelm a golf...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4199
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer
    Novelist, memoirist and playwright Witi Ihimaera – author of Pounamu, Pounamu and The Whale Rider – decided, at the age of eighty, to dive back into the water and spend a year full-time at Te Wānanga Takiura, immersing himself in his own language, in te reo Māori. This book tells the story of this kaikaukau, this swimmer, and his year...
    Paperback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    This Is Me: A Reckoning
    This is a searingly honest and moving memoir from double Golden Globe-nominatedactress Hayden Panettiere. Hayden Panettiere has been in front of the camera since before she could talk. She roseto stardom typecasted as Hollywood's blonde girl next door. As a young celebrity,naysayers were certain she would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.Hayden Panettiere's irreverent memoir satisfies our...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.