HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden HarperCollins proudly presents its incredible range of beloved classics. "I went into the woods because I wanted to live consciously, to know only the essential facts of life and see if I could learn what life had to teach, and not find when I was dying that I had not lived at all. I did not want to live what was not life, for life is so precious; I did not want to practice resignation unless it was absolutely necessary. I wanted to live deeply and suck out the marrow of life, to live so strongly and Spartan-like as to destroy all that was not life, to cut a wide swath and shave closely, to drive life into a corner and reduce it to its lowest terms, and if it turned out to be mean, then to get its whole genuine meanness and publish its meanness to the world; or if it was sublime, to know it by experience and be able to give a truthful account of it in my next journey." — Henry David Thoreau, Walden