Walden Book Summary - Walden Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Walden summary

Henry David Thoreau

Life in the Woods

4.6 (190 ratings)
20 mins
Table of Contents

    Walden
    Summary of 9 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 9

    Thoreau was concerned that modern life was offering little opportunity for gaining real wisdom and knowledge.

    It was in the spring of 1845 that Henry David Thoreau made his way to the wooded shore of Walden Pond, a lake in Concord, Massachusetts. The worries of the world weighed heavily upon him; he found modern life to be profoundly disturbing. To Thoreau, the approaching new era bled wisdom and freedom from his society. People were crushed under the servitude of work and had little chance of enjoying what life had to offer.

    As he famously put it, “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” They toiled and labored to make money to buy houses that were surplus to requirements and to fill them with useless knick-knacks.

    Thoreau reacted forcefully. To him, such an existence was “a fool’s life.” It was a life devoid of meaning and wisdom, replaced with exertion and drudgery.

    Part of the problem, as he saw it, was that people who worked so hard simply didn’t have the time or energy to read. More people seemed to know the intricacies of accounting and bookkeeping than classic literature.

    He was convinced that those who stopped reading in childhood were intellectually stunted, since there is so much to be learned from literature, especially for people who can read a work in its original language.

    A favorite work of Thoreau’s was Homer’s epic poem The Iliad, which became a source of comfort in his new environment. Reading, to Thoreau, could act as a guide and comfort. Perhaps you, too, can find volumes that breathe life and knowledge into your daily life or offer responses to the questions that loom over you.

    Thoreau moved to Walden to show himself that there was more to modern life. And there is much for us to learn from his personal experience that we can still apply today.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Walden?

    Key ideas in Walden

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Walden about?

    Walden (1854) is the result of the two years Henry David Thoreau spent in the woods on the north shore of Walden Pond, a lake in Massachusetts. It is both a practical and philosophical account of how he sustained himself through farming and by building his own house, and what he learned about human nature by living a simpler life. Although it was a deeply personal experience, Thoreau’s approach to society teaches us how we, too, can approach the modern world.

    Best quote from Walden

    I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.

    —Henry David Thoreau
    example alt text

    Who should read Walden?

    • Students of philosophy and literature
    • Environmentalists and nature enthusiasts
    • Readers who support a move back to simple living

    About the Author

    Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an avid essayist, poet and philosopher. Thoreau spent much of his life exploring the relationship people have with nature, work and government. He is considered one of the leaders of the transcendentalist movement in nineteenth-century America.

    Categories with Walden

    Books like Walden

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial