Emerson, Thoreau, and the Transcendentalist Movement

By: The Great Courses, Ashton Nichols

Narrated by: Ashton Nichols Ph.D. University of Virginia

The America we know today is so different in its fundamental views about almost every aspect of life as to be unrecognizable to our countrymen of two centuries ago. On issues as divergent as slavery, women's rights, education, the environment, and many others, we are simply no longer the country we were.

What is the source of not only these changes, but of our distinctly American way of experiencing ourselves-confident in our value as individuals, certain of our ability to discover truths, self-reliant in the face of uncertainty and change? Answers to questions like these and so many more are found in and around Boston and Concord, Massachusetts, which became, little more than five decades after the American Revolution, the epicenter of a profoundly influential movement that would make possible the America we know today. That movement was Transcendentalism-the subject of an extraordinary 24-lecture series by an award-winning teacher, scholar, and journalist.

You'll learn how Transcendentalism-drawing on an array of influences from Europe and the non-Western world-also offered uniquely American perspectives of thought: an emphasis on the divine in nature, on the value of the individual and intuition, and on belief in a spirituality that might "transcend" one's own experienceto provide a guide for daily living. And you'll learn how Transcendentalism's impact was rooted in the intellectual energy of two remarkable individuals: Ralph Waldo Emerson, the most important figure behind Transcendentalism in America, and Henry David Thoreau, his most influential disciple. Along with a diverse group of intellectual activists, literary figures, and social reformers, their ideas would remake America.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2006 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2006 The Great Courses

Exceptional

This lecture is a broad, rich, thorough and thought-provoking treatment of such an important intellectual movement in human evolution. Grateful for access to this level of scholarship -- my only regret is not having had this material as part of my formal education earlier in life,

So good!

I didn't realize how connected the transcendentalist movement really was. Frederick Douglas to Abe Lincoln, Henry David Thorough to M.L. King, and Gandhi... amazing!

I learned so much

Really good teacher and teaching. Ideals that everyone should know. I can apply this in my everyday life!

Dry subject matter made interesting

Would you consider the audio edition of Emerson, Thoreau, and the Transcendentalist Movement to be better than the print version?

Yes the audio version has to be better. The Professor relayed a lot of material that would be very difficult to read(my opinion).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Walt Whitman. Portrayed very well in this reading.

Have you listened to any of Professor Ashton Nichols’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Impossible!!

Any additional comments?

Prof Nichols is really dedicated to this subject. It is dry material but he kept it interesting. I almost got a feeling Prof Nichols was rendering an eye witness account.

Great social/historical take on transcendentalism

If you could sum up Emerson, Thoreau, and the Transcendentalist Movement in three words, what would they be?

Social historical importance

What about Professor Ashton Nichols’s performance did you like?

He was clear and concise, bringing life to the characters.

Any additional comments?

This course focused mostly on the social and historical aspects of the transcendental movement. It does so by recounting the life stories and philosophies of a wide cast of characters that participated in this movement. I was hoping for more of a focus on the philosophic and spiritual underpinnings of the movement. These are explained briefly in the first few lectures, but the majority of the course focuses on how the transcendentalists shaped American history, culture, politics, and education.

Enthralled Throughout

What a fascinating compilation of meaning, associations, and ideas. Thought provoking, and historically interesting is too little praise. Loved this lecture.

Transformative

Amazing lectures on the profound thinkers of the Transcendentalist movement. I'm so enriched by the experience of listening to them, and would highly recommend to anyone with an appreciation of nature, humanism, and the ideas that have shaped the American spirit.

One of my favorite Great Courses

This one really snuck up on me! I love the topic but the professor was particularly good. For some reason, I also found this lecture series really great to listen to before bed so I would recommend it for that purpose. If you are interested in this topic, it is a must listen.

Relevant

Outstanding history and invaluable insights. I’m hoping for a Transcendentalist revival! Narration is great at 1.5 speed in Audible.

Excellent overview of the American Transcendentalists.

Excellent overview of the American Transcendentalists. Highly recommended for all interested in Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, Fuller, etc.