This presentation suggests that Henry Thoreau did not "flee" to nature to escape the human world, but rather used his observations of patterns and phenomena in the landscapes around him to reflect upon the human condition. The presentation also addresses the political and cultural history of Henry Thoreau’s New England, with a focus on Concord’s early Black inhabitants.

Attend in person or via Zoom. Register below to attend in person. Register here to attend via Zoom.

Dr. Zoë Pollak is a speaker for The Thoreau Society and her research and writing center on 19th-century American nature poetry. She has worked at Oxford's Bodleian Libraries and seeks to locate Thoreau and the Transcendentalists in comparative cultural and literary contexts.

Presented in partnership with The Thoreau Society and made possible with the support of Mass Humanities and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.