Henry David Thoreau

American essayist, poet, and philosopher (1817–1862)

Source-basedFalling

Lived 1817–1862, aged 45United States

United States WritersWriter / Author

Fame38.8
Momentum0.2
United States rank#245
Writers rank#116
Wikipedia77.4K

Wikipedia
88 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in United States
#245
Writers
Era
1817–1862
Aged 45

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Thoreau spent two years in a cabin by Walden Pond and wrote about it obsessively. His essay on civil disobedience became the playbook for every protest movement that followed.

Biography

About

Henry David Thoreau was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience", an argument in favor of citizen disobedience against an unjust state.

Profile