Summer Reading: Thoreau's Cape Cod

With the solstice just a couple of weeks away, we're compiling a list of books we hope to read this summer. At the top of the list is Cape Cod: Illustrated Edition of the American Classic, by Henry David Thoreau, with photographs by Scot Miller (2008).

Here’s a description of the book: “Originally published in 1865, Henry David Thoreau's Cape Cod is a wonderfully written, surprisingly funny account of nineteenth-century life on the Cape well before it became a major tourist attraction. To this day, many people consider it the best book ever written about Cape Cod. This new illustrated volume features the complete text of Thoreau's classic work as published in Houghton Mifflin's 1906 edition, the stunning photography of Scot Miller, and a foreword from the preeminent Thoreau biographer, Robert Richardson. Many of the lush color photographs show elements of the landscape that Thoreau would have seen: the great beach, imposing cliffs, sand dunes, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, beach grass, seaweed; others reflect the unique personality of Cape Cod and its people today, including local artists and architecture. The combination of Thoreau's timeless text and Miller's exquisitely reproduced color photographs make this an indispensable book for anyone who loves Thoreau's writing or Cape Cod.”

For more background information about Thoreau and his Cape Cod, see "Thoreau Walks the Cape," an article published in American Heritage magazine back in 1987.

Fans of Thoreau might also consider reading these two books: In The Footsteps of Thoreau: 25 Historic & Nature Walks on Cape Cod, by Adam Gamble (1997); and Traces of Thoreau: a Cape Cod Journey, by Stephen Mulloney (1998).

Somewhat related, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster is holding a natural history book sale this Saturday morning , June 7, 2008. "This special sale will include contributions from members, a superb collection of recent gardening books AND a huge pile of 'Oldies But Still Goodies' from the Clarence Hay Library."

The Day Henry David Thoreau Died

"The Day Thoreau Died"
Cape Cod Times, May 6, 2008

CAPE COD -- The author of Cape Cod made us famous; He walked the entire length four times.

On this day in 1862, Henry David Thoreau died. He was born on July 12, 1817 and died on May 6, 1862 two months shy of his 46th birthday.

Thoreau was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, and philosopher. Thoreau walked the length of Cape Cod on four separate occasions from 1849 to 1857. In Cape Cod, the book inspired by these visits, Thoreau heralds the seashore as a middle ground between nature and civilization where our vision of the human voyage can stretch beyond the horizon. ... ©

Read the full article in the Cape Cod Times.

Harvard Museum to Present "Thoreau’s Cape Cod"

"Harvard Museum to Present 'Thoreau’s Cape Cod.'"
Lincoln Journal, April 10, 2008

CAMBRIDGE -- On April 16, the Harvard Museum of Natural History will present a special program entitled, “Thoreau’s Cape Cod.”

To celebrate the release of the illustrated edition of Henry David Thoreau’s classic Cape Cod, Scot Miller will present a video documenting his experiences photographing the outer Cape.

Following the 11-minute video, Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent George Price will give a lecture entitled, “Cape Cod National Seashore ... a Thoreau Experience.” Price will discuss the major conservation challenges facing this jewel of the outer Cape, and the National Park Service's efforts to maintain the shoreline so that everyone can experience it as did Thoreau more than 100 years ago.

The program is free and open to the public. A portion of the proceeds of each book sold will go to benefit the Walden Woods Project. ©