Walden-ish

Purchase a print or eBook copy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local independent bookstore!

TIMELESS, MAGICAL, REFLECTIVE

AN AMERICAN CLASSIC, REINVIGORATED

In 1854, Henry David Thoreau published his famous work, Walden, an experiment in simple living. Thoreau recounts his experiences living alone in a small self-built cabin near Walden Pond for two years, two months, and two days, reflecting on the virtue of self-reliance and the pursuit of a meaningful life. He challenges readers to question societal norms and reconnect with the natural world, our home. Walden remains a timeless exploration of transcendentalist philosophy and a call to embrace a more intentional and authentic existence. Nearly 200 years later, Thoreau's wisdom is still needed.

WALDEN-ISH IS THE MODERN ADAPTATION THAT READERS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOr

Walden is an important and impactful text, and one that was clearly written for men (see preface). What’s more, the complicated syntax and old-fashioned verbiage can alienate readers, discouraging them from pressing on to discover deeper meaning.

Both enamored by Thoreau’s sensitivity and discouraged by his evident distaste for women's society, author Krimsey Lilleth set out to create a modern adaptation of the classic novel. With immense respect for the source material and compassion for a man who was, after all, a product of his times, she has infused the classic novel with a more egalitarian understanding and supplemented it with thoughts from Thoreau’s own journals. As Thoreau himself understood, “It is never too late to give up our prejudices.” By tempering and refining the language that separates many from the wisdom and insight within Walden’s pages, Lilleth has amplified Thoreau’s original message while making an important, powerful book accessible to all.

PAST OR PRESENT, IT IS WISDOM THAT TRANSCENDS TIME

Intrepid readers of Walden have long found echoes of our current struggles and existential questions. Now, with Walden-ish: A Woman's Adaptation of Henry David Thoreau’s "Walden," readers can again benefit from the spirit of natural simplicity, harmony, and beauty held in this classic work from the American Romantic Period. Whether you’re a lover of reimagined classic novels, interested in philosophy, or simply looking for engaging nonfiction about living in the woods, this book is for you.

TASTEFULLY ADAPTED TO MODERN TIMES, WITHOUT LOSING THOREAU'S STYLE AND VOICE

Walden-ish follows the thoughts and adventures of Henry David Thoreau as he spends two years living alone in the woods next to Walden Pond. If you haven’t already read my Preface to Walden-ish, that’s a great place to start to understand why I felt called to edit the original text.

After leading a peculiar life of teaching, pencil making, and land surveying, Thoreau sets off into the woods by himself to “live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life.” Alone in nature, his mind is clear to think, explore, and write. Eerily, Thoreau’s original themes are spot-on and critically relevant to us now, in the 21st century. 

Thoreau’s core concepts are held intact and the essence of his writing style is preserved, with some enhancements for fluidity and digestibility. To learn more about my editing philosophies and processes, click here.

“I wish to be translated to the future, and look at my work as if it were a structure on the plain, to observe what portions have crumbled under the influence of the elements.” -Henry David Thoreau (journal entry*), Jan 1, 1852.

Sample It

Hear a sample excerpt from chapter one (read by me, Krimsey) below, or on Apple Podcasts.

Walden Pond

While on my editing journey, I visited Walden Pond to see what things might have been like for Henry David Thoreau while he lived in his tiny cabin near the shore. It was an impactful trip—I may have shed a tear or two.

WHERE TO BUY

Purchase a print or eBook copy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local independent bookstore! And if you wind up loving it, reviews are greatly appreciated—they help increase exposure. Thank you for your support on this personal project that took hundreds of [enjoyable] hours to complete.

For Kids, Too!

Would you like to share the enchantment of Thoreau’s work with your tiny friends, too? Check out my children’s version, The Magical Story of Walden Pond!