Featuring nearly 100 luminous watercolor illustrations, Thoreau and the Art of Life collects eloquent passages from the writingsof the seminal author and philosopher. Drawn mainly
fromhis journals, the short excerpts provide fascinating insight intohis thought processes by presenting his raw, unedited feelingsabout the things that meant the most to him. The book
reflectsThoreau’s deep beliefs and ideas about nature, relationships, creativity,spirituality, aging, simplicity, and wisdom. By eloquentlyexpressing his thoughts about life and what gives it
value, heleads the reader to a closer examination of life. Thoreau’s workasks us to live our own truths with joy and discipline and to recognizethat we live in a universe of extraordinary
beauty, mystery,and wonder.
An avid reader of Thoreau, editor and illustrator RoderickMacIver organized the passages by themes: love and friendship;art, creativity, and writing; aging, disease, and death; human societyand
culture; nature and the human connection to the naturalworld; and wisdom, truth, solitude, and simplicity. The bookincludes a chronology and brief biography. Thoreau’s words ofwisdom combined
with MacIver’s vivid illustrations of the Americanlandscape will resonate with nature enthusiasts and a broadrange of readers interested in art, environmentalism, literature, andphilosophy.
