Walden essentially takes the reader through several of Thoreau's experiences during his two years living in the woods. I was initially under the impression that Thoreau had simply abandoned society and built a cabin in the woods. I was mistaken. The entire event was well planned beforehand.
To my surprise, Thoreau did not live exclusively in the woods. He lived just a short distance from the town of Concord, Massachusetts, on a piece of land he rented from Ralph Waldo Emerson. He often walked into town, visited friends and his mother, and bought goods to use in the woods. Seems to me that perhaps a certain transcendentalist wasn't quite so gung-ho for nature.
Unfortunately, at times the book reads like a textbook. However, if you're willing to power through some dry parts and an overwhelming amount of casually used obscure references, I would recommend Walden to anyone interested in reading some good social commentary.
