Autumnal Tints

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Summary: Thorau captivates the reader with his prose regarding nature
Review: Henry David Thoreau is one of the few authors that can write about the changing of the leaves and still not have the reader fall asleep; in fact, I would make the argument that Thoreau's ability is his west knowledge of nature and his uncanny sense for language that makes him a leading voice for people concerned with nature and environmentalism. Thoreau can be said to be the first voice to raise concern regarding the way people treat nature. Even though this is, e.g., Autumnal Tints , is not of his better works, e.g., Walden and Main Woods; I would definitely recommend anyone whom finds Thoreau to a good author to read this novel.

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Summary: An essay omitted from many anthologies
Review: Published in _Atlantic Monthly_ five months after his death, this essay describes the colors of the New England landscape as Henry David Thoreau saw them in the mid-1800s. His motivation for writing such words seems to have been his neighbors' apathy and indifference toward the natural world, for "A man sees only what concerns him." And so Thoreau speaks of the beauty of purple grasses and of maples, elms, and oaks. He doesn't mind the fallen willow leaves that land in his boat and doesn't clean them out -- he accepts them as extra cushioning for his seat. One wonders what Henry would think now, when tourists are apt to drive to New England on fall weekends, just to see the leaves. There's no earth-shattering revelations in this booklet. It's just an easy read for a crisp and bright October day.