Primary sourceBook1888
Winter: from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau · 1888
First edition, 1888, of selections from Thoreau's journal describing winter, showing his close observation of nature.
A posthumous selection of Thoreau's own journal entries on winter, showing his close attention to nature.
PDF · 474 pagesAbout this source
What it is
This is the first edition, published in 1888, of a book gathering selections about winter taken from the journal of Henry David Thoreau. It is part of a series of seasonal volumes drawn from his journal, published after his death.
Why it matters
This book shows how Thoreau's private journal entries were later shaped into published volumes for readers, organized by season rather than by date. It reflects his detailed, patient observation of the natural world around Concord, Massachusetts, and his growing reputation as a nature writer after his death.
Look closer
- Why might publishers have chosen to arrange Thoreau's journal entries by season rather than in the order he wrote them?
- What does this kind of editing add or take away from the original journal?
- What does the detail in his descriptions suggest about how closely he watched the natural world?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Henry David Thoreau on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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