Walden, or A Life in the Woods, was first published in 1854. Thoreau spent two years, two months, and two days living in a cabin he built by Walden Pond in Massachusetts. The woodlands were owned by his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau fictionalized it a bit by condensing it down to one year in the book, so the passing of the seasons symbolize human development. His focus was simple living and self-sufficiency, and was inspired by transcendental philosophy. The cabin was actually on the edge of town, t in the wilderness, but he still felt immersed in nature. This edition of the book, also includes the essay On the Duty of Civil Disobedience.
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American author, transcendentalist, philosopher, naturalist, poet, abolitionist, historian, etc. He is best known for writing Walden.