Publisher's Synopsis
Henry Salt abandoned his mastership at Eton in the 1880s to devote himself to causes including vegetarianism, socialism, animals' rights, conservation and prison reform. In 1890 he published the initial version of Thoreau's "Life". With the help of American friends, he revised the book and published it anew in 1896.;This third version is Salt's final reading of Thoreau based on works published up to 1908, including Thoreau's complete "Journal". Combining a narrative of Thoreau's life with a treatment of his ideas and writings, it is a penetrating study of Thoreau, which stresses his distinctive individuality.;Through analysis of the text and a concise biography, the editors illustrate Salt's growth as a scholar and his changing views on Thoreau and Thoreau's philosophy. The introduction details Salt's stylistic improvements to the 1908 edition as well as the inclusion of anecdotes and facts gathered from Samuel Arthur Jones, F.B. Sanborn, Ernest W. Vickers, Raymond Adams, Fred Hosmer and Gandhi.;This book is suitable for scholars of Thoreau and readers interested in Thoreau, American Transcendentalism or American literature.