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.

Dr. Zoë Pollak’s research and writing center on 19th-century American nature poetry. She is a Curatorial and Exhibitions Assistant at the Concord Free Public Library and helps design exhibits and interpretive materials for The Thoreau Farm Trust and The Thoreau Society.

The Thoreau Society received a Mass Humanities Staffing Recovery Grant (2023-2025) in support of our Membership and Program Coordinator. Funding from Mass Humanities has been provided through the Mass Cultural Council.