Henry David Thoreau's collection of essays and poetry, "Excursions," was released two years after his death. Thoreau's writings on nature, philosophy, and social concerns are spread throughout the book. The articles in "Excursions" are organized according to various subjects, such as "The Succession of Forest Trees," "A Trip to Wachusett," and "Natural History of Massachusetts." Thoreau utilizes his views of nature to explore further into philosophical issues including the way people interact with the natural world, what progress means, and the place of individuality in society. In "Excursions," Thoreau also includes a number of his poetry in addition to his writings. Several of these poems highlight the value of living a modest, thoughtful life as well as the beauty of nature. Thoreau stresses the value of living in balance with nature and developing a strong connection to it throughout the whole book. According to him, making this link may motivate people to strive towards a more fair and equal society as well as help them find meaning and purpose in their own lives. "Excursions" is, in general, a celebration of the natural environment and a plea for people to live more completely and purposefully every day.
Naturalist, writer, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau was an American who lived from July 12, 1817, to May 6, 1862. His most well-known work, Walden, is a meditation on simple life in the natural world. He was a forerunner of ecological theory and environmental history, two major influences on contemporary environmentalism. In Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau was born into a humble family. Between 1833 and 1837, he attended Harvard College for his studies. He worked as a land surveyor and continued to keep a two million-word notebook for 24 years, recording ever-more-detailed observations on the natural history of the town, which covered an area of 26 square miles (67 square kilometers). Thoreau never got married and never had kids. He proposed to Ellen Sewall, then 18 years old, when he was 23 years old, but she declined on the advice of her father. On May 6, 1862, Henry David Thoreau passed away. He was 44. After contracting TB in 1835, he intermittently experienced its effects. His final words, spoken while he was still conscious, were "Now comes good sailing," followed by the words "moose" and "Indian." In Concord, Massachusetts' Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, he was laid to rest.
