A Simple Sketch Symbolizing Self-Reliance

H David Thoreau (1817–1862) is remembered and celebrated as an essayist, poet, philosopher, and naturalist; he was also a surveyor, historian, antislavery activist, tax resister, and teacher. Thoreau’s extensive writings are collected in more than 20 volumes, including books, articles, essays, journals, and poems. In his best known book, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, published in 1854, Thoreau detailed his day-to-day experiences during the 2 years, 2 months, and 2 days he dwelled in a small, rustic cabin that he constructed near Walden Pond. This 64-acre lake is near the town of Concord, Massachusetts, USA, close to where Thoreau was born and lived most of his life. Initially a modest success, the book sold 2,000 copies within 5 years but then went out of print until 1862, the year Thoreau died. Today it is among the best known works of American literature. Its chapters consist of the author’s Author affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA