I to Myself: An Annotated Selection from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau Book

It was his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, another inveterate journal keeper, who urged Thoreau to keep a record of his thoughts and observations. Begun in 1837, Thoreauâ??s journal spans a period of twenty-five years and runs to more than two million words, coming to a halt only in 1861, shortly before the authorâ??s death. The handwritten journal had somewhat humble origins, but as it grew in scope and ambition it came to function as a record of Thoreauâ??s interior life as well as the source for his books and essays. Indeed, it became the central concern of the authorâ??s literary life. Critics now recognize Thoreauâ??s journal as an important artistic achievement in its own right.

Making selections from the entirety of the journal, Cramer presents all aspects of Thoreau: writer, thinker, naturalist, social reformer, neighbor, friend. No other single-volume edition offers such a full picture of Thoreauâ??s life and work. Cramerâ??s annotations add to the readerâ??s enjoyment and understanding. He provides notes on the biographical, historical, and geographical contexts of Thoreauâ??s life. The relation between Journal passages and the texts of works published in the authorâ??s lifetime receive special emphasis. A companion to Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition, this gift edition of the Journal will be dipped into and treasured, and it makes a welcome addition to any book loverâ??s library.