Henry David Thoreau

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each."

"Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something."

"If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. Men will believe what they see."

"What people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can."

"Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it."

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."

Journal, July 25, 1839

"He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul's estate."

Journal, February 11, 1840

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

Walden, Conclusion, 1854

"Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed in them."

Walden: Economy, 1854

"Man is the artificer of his own happiness."

Journal, January 21, 1838

"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."

Walden: Higher Laws, 1854

"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor."

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

"That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest."

"[Water is] the only drink for a wise man."

"Men are born to succeed, not fail."

"It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes."

Walden, 1854

"How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book."

Walden: Reading, 1854

Featured Books 

• Walden Paperback by Henry David Thoreau - Every library should have it and its spine should be well cracked. (I'm going to crack mine as soon as I'm finished here.)
• Civil Disobedience, Solitude and Life Without Principle Paperback by Henry David Thoreau - The justification for his rebellion (he refused to pay taxes because of the Mexican American War).
• Henry David Thoreau : Three Complete Books Hardcover by Henry David Thoreau - Get Walden, Cape Cod, and The Maine Woods in a hardbound edition surely to last forever in your bookcase (especially if you don't read it).
• The Portable Thoreau Paperback by Henry David Thoreau, Carl Bode - If you are actually planning on reading his works, this is the book to buy. At 698 pages, it hardly seems portable, but you receive a collection of his works to keep you reading for awhile. Enjoy!

For more information about Henry David Thoreau, try these links:

• Thoreau World Wide - A good introduction to Henry David Thoreau. Make sure you read Background behind Walden.
• The Life of Henry David Thoreau - No snazzy pictures, but a good outline of the author's life.
• The Writings of Henry D. Thoreau - A great site! You can view a scan of Thoreau's handwriting (including analysis and translation), a list of related sites, and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) file.

Articles - The Quotations Page