OSHER 212 - Reading Walden

This course will focus on a central text in the canon of American literature, Henry David Thoreau?s Walden. Like Melville?s Moby Dick, Walden is a book generally known second-hand, by its reputation, rather than first-hand through a close reading of the text. Close reading is what we will do in this course. We will try to understand the literary texture of Thoreau?s great work?at times infuriating, at times extremely funny, and always linguistically dense. Reading Walden closely will be an experience you won?t forget.