“To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but so to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity and trust.”

American transcendentalist writer and naturalist of the mid-19th century, Thoreau is best known for his philosophical essays and his two-year experiment in simple living at Walden Pond. His work bridges practical observation of nature with deep reflection on individualism, civil disobedience, and the importance of living deliberately.