I to Myself
An Annotated Selection from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau
(Yale University Press, 2007)
​(Paperback edition, 2012)

It was his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, another inveterate journal keeper, who urged Thoreau to keep a record of his thoughts and observations. Begun in 1837, Thoreau’s journal spans a period of twenty-five years and runs to more than two million words, coming to a halt only in 1861, shortly before the author’s death. The handwritten journal had somewhat humble origins, but as it grew in scope and ambition it came to function as a record of Thoreau’s interior life as well as the source for his books and essays. Indeed, it became the central concern of the author’s literary life. Critics now recognize Thoreau’s journal as an important artistic achievement in its own right.

Selections were made from the entirety of the journal,presenting all aspects of Thoreau: writer, thinker, naturalist, social reformer, neighbor, friend. No other single-volume edition offers such a full picture of Thoreau’s life and work. Annotations add to the reader’s enjoyment and understanding, providing notes on the biographical, historical, and geographical contexts of Thoreau’s life. The relation between Journal passages and the texts of works published in the author’s lifetime receive special emphasis. A companion to Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition, this gift edition of the Journal will be dipped into and treasured, and it makes a welcome addition to any book lover’s library.

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What people are saying...

"Its appeal lies in Cramer’s canny selections and in the full but unobtrusive notes. . . a richly rewarding, deeply satisfying volume."—Robert D. Richardson, author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life of the Mind, Thoreau Society Bulletin, Summer 2008 

"Jeffrey Cramer, curator at the Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods, makes selections from the journal and accompanies each with insightful commentary. As autumn gives way to winter, one thinks of Thoreau's work as a great naturalist, but his words about art, life, politics, friendship—and even his neighbors—make a lovely book to read, sitting by a cozy fire."—Elizabeth Taylor, Chicago Tribune (Editor's Choice)

"Thanks to the judicious editing of Jeffrey S Cramer, who has whittled down the 39 manuscript volumes to 500 pages, we now have the first broadly representative selection from the Journal to appear in 40 years."—Giles Harvery, The Guardian

"The selections, as well as Cramer’s informative annotations, give a well-rounded portrait of the writer and his world. For those who know Thoreau only from his more familiar writings, e.g., Walden, these generous excerpts will provide an accessible entry into the thoughts, feelings, and preoccupations of this unique American author. . . . Recommended for all public and academic library collections."— Library Journal

"A welcome and appealing work, whose chief strength lies in the range and detail of the information provided in its annotations.”—David M. Robinson, author of Natural Life: Thoreau's Worldly Transcendentalism

​"In editing and annotating this selection from the two-million-word journal of Thoreau, Cramer has aimed to provide general readers with a clean, reliable, intelligently chosen series of entries from the massive original. . . . He has admirably succeeded."—Wayne Franklin, University of Connecticut 

“No other currently available selection of Thoreau's journals better demonstrates the diversity of the author's vision. . . . Cramer's is the first such work to represent the journal and its author in their full complexity. Cramer's generous annotations will be useful to a broad audience. . . . Highly recommended.”— Choice