Henry David Thoreau is generally associated with civil disobedience during a period of slavery and war in the newly formed United States, as well as his admiration for Native American ways of life. However, his observations on nature and human behaviour addressed many issues that are still very relevant to us today.
The Triumph of Principles is a biography of Thoreau and also an examination of his reflections and experiences that questions our contemporary lives from the perspective of a small town in Massachusetts in the 19th Century: Concord, which was also the home of Emerson, Hawthorne and L. M. Alcott. The intelligence and beauty of his writing, which is full of ironic, damning descriptions of his fellow citizens, and his faith in self-reliance, the bounty of the best investments and the elimination of self-imposed needs lead us to an understanding of what he described as the essence of life; seizing the day, sincerity and simplicity, as a beacon for good behaviour and everyday thought.
How to live. Getting the best out of life. Making honey from the flowers of the world. That is my task.
