In this definitive collection of essays, including the poignant title essay “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson expounds on the importance of trusting your soul, as well as divine providence, to carve out a life. A firm believer in nonconformity, Emerson celebrates the individual and stresses the value of listening to the inner voice unique to each of us—even when it defies society’s expectations.

Self-Reliance and Other Essays is the perfect companion for those who have marched to the beat of a different drummer and wish to better understand the transcendentalist leader’s groundbreaking philosophy to find personal fulfillment.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from iconic authors. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or revisit an old favorite, these new editions open the door to the stories and ideas that have shaped our world.

Revised edition: Previously published as Self-Reliance and Other Essays, this edition of Self-Reliance and Other Essays (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

At Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau reflected on simpler living in the natural world. By removing himself from the distractions of materialism, Thoreau hoped to not only improve his spiritual life but also gain a better understanding of society through solitary introspection.

In Walden, Thoreau condenses his two-year, two-month, two-day stay into a single year, using the four seasons to symbolize human development—a cycle of life shared by both nature and man. A celebration of personal renewal through self-reliance, independence, and simplicity, composed for all of us living in “quiet desperation,” Walden is eternal.

Revised edition: Previously published as Walden, this edition of Walden (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Refusing to be civilized by Southern society or cowed by his drunken father’s lashings, young Huckleberry Finn decides he has only one option left: fake his own death and hop a raft down the Mississippi River. Instead of carrying him far from trouble, though, Huck’s raft delivers him to a place of moral uncertainty.

Mark Twain unwinds Huck’s harrowing journey to manhood with satirical wit, revealing the troubled history of the American South, where slavery held sway long after the Civil War ended. Huck’s relationship with runaway slave Jim forces him to confront his beliefs about friendship and freedom.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

The red letter A on her dress marks young mother Hester Prynne among her Puritan neighbors, who demand to know who fathered her child. Rumors swirl, but the shunned and shamed Hester keeps her secret—and his—for years, until a guilt-ridden confession reveals the truth, with unexpected consequences.

Set in seventeenth-century Massachusetts, Hawthorne’s masterwork was originally subtitled “a romance,” though its themes include the limits of law, the power of religion, and the nature of sin. Equal parts tragic love story and social commentary, The Scarlet Letter brings to life the undying human need to keep secrets.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Scarlet Letter, this edition of The Scarlet Letter (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Published anonymously on January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine’s legendary work made the case for American independence.

An immediate sensation across the thirteen colonies, Common Sense extolled Paine’s belief that government should be simple and represent the will of the people, acting not as an oppressor but as a body to protect society. His clear and persuasive argument appealed to the common people, impressing on them the importance of secession from Great Britain. Six months after Common Sense was published, independence was declared, and the American Revolution was born.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as Common Sense, this edition of Common Sense (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Walden by American essayist and transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau was first published in 1854. It is a memoir that recounts Thoreau's time spent in a cabin near Waldon Pond, Massachusetts, which he considered an experiment in 'home economics' - a chance to escape civilisation, embark on spiritual discovery, and live simply and self-sufficiently. He spent two years, two months, and two days in the cabin, which he had built himself amongst woodland owned by his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The book contains information about the beginnings of the project, observations about nature, identifications of plants and animals, and philosophical musings on various subjects. Thoreau stresses the importance of solitude and closeness to nature, as well as the significance of self-reliance. Despite being considered by some to be a difficult book to read, Walden now stands as a celebrated work of literature.

This book has 161 pages in the PDF version, and was originally published in 1854.

Production notes: This ebook of Walden was published by Global Grey on the 18th October 2021. The artwork used for the cover is 'The Concord Meadow' by Childe Hassam.