Ralph Waldo Emerson Books

Emerson remains one of America’s least understood writers, having spawned neither school nor follower. Those wishing to discover or reacquaint themselves with Emerson’s writings but who have not known where or how to begin will not find a better starting place or more reliable guide than David Mikics in this richly illustrated Annotated Emerson.

The only collection of the complete First and Second Series of essays by America's most popular sage, available in an affordable paperback edition. A must for students of American culture and literature

This reprint captures the essence of a classic work first published in 1857, preserving its original content and historical significance. Readers can expect to explore themes and narratives reflective of the era, providing insight into the cultural and societal norms of the time. The book's enduring relevance and its impact on literature make it a valuable addition for both new readers and those familiar with its legacy.

Emerson's 1841 essay explores the theme of individuality and the importance of self-trust in personal development. It emphasizes the significance of nonconformity and the inner voice guiding one’s beliefs and actions. Alongside this foundational work, the collection includes essays that delve into interconnected themes such as the divine presence in humanity, the cyclical nature of life, the essence of poetry, the richness of experience, and the value of friendship, showcasing Emerson's profound philosophical insights.

This volume, edited by Carl Bode in collaboration with Malcolm Cowley, presents the essential Emerson, selected from works that eloquently express the philosophy of a worldly idealist. The Portable Emerson comprises essays, including “History,” “Self-Reliance,” “The Over-Soul,” “Circles,” and “The Poet”; Emerson’s first book, Nature , in its entirety; twenty-two poems, including “Uriel,” “The Humble-Bee,” and “Give All to Love”; orations, including “The American Scholar,” “The Fugitive Slave Law,” and “John Brown”; English Traits , complete; and biographical essays on Plato, Napoleon, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Carlyle, and others.

Daily inspiration from American philosopher and transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson Featuring excerpts from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, poems, and lectures, Everyday Emerson offers 365 snippets of wisdom and insight from one of America’s greatest writers and philosophers. An astute observer of both nature and society, Emerson’s writing touches on themes of individuality, freedom, and human potential, all of it shot through with a profound love and awe of the natural world. The excerpts in Everyday Emerson are inspiring and thought provoking—a daily invitation to engage the world with imagination and intention. In addition to daily quotes, the end of the book also includes selections from Emerson's beloved essay "Self-Reliance." Both longtime appreciators of Emerson’s work and readers who would be intimidated by a complete book of essays will find something delightful in its pages.

From one of the greatest figures of 19th-century America... This new edition offers a broad view of the author's finest work, featuring his critical essays, poems, and letters, plus a considerable amount of material from the Journals, including an entry discovered in 1964 in the Library of Congress.

As Judith Shklar has pointed out, Emerson built Representative Men around the principle of 'rotation, ' which had become a political axiom in Jacksonian America--the idea that no man, no matter how imposing, should be accorded permanent authority. Representative Men honors the language of democracy in its very title.

Nietzsche said that he never travelled anywhere without a volume of Emerson's essays in his pocket, while Mathew Arnold described Emerson as 'the greatest prose writer of the century'. It is a remarkable writer who could at once appeal to a man considered a pillar of Victorian society, and to a man dedicated to bringing down such pillars. In his own time Emerson was considered a profoundly radical thinker, but after his death he was increasingly seen as a bland Boston Brahmin, contentedly ripening with the new England melons, benignly meditating on such viperous notions as the Over–soul.He is now appreciated as one of the truly seminal American writers, refusing all orthodoxies, complacencies and fixities—both a truly celebratory and deeply adversarial thinker. A unique paperback edition, with introduction and chronology of Emerson's life and times.