The two books I’m writing would fit under the category of “People & Places” per William Zinsser’s categorization. Some would call this travel writing. But what people call travel in the day of bucket lists and Instagram gives me the belief they are mere collectors of pictures and tickers of to-do lists. Not travelers. Still, travel is a wonderful word and I shouldn’t let the mass behaviour of people sully the proper use of the word. 

With that, I decided to read Thoreau’s Walden a few months back. Yes, you heard correctly. A few months back. 

It’s my experience that a great book takes a day to read. A great and long book may take a week. Most good books take a couple of weeks. If a book takes longer than a month, then there is a problem. It’s a failed relationship I’m just sticking out for the kids, not realizing this will make them blame their existence for the unhappiness of their parents. 

In this case, I didn’t want to let go for the sake of my ego. “They,” said Walden was one of the best-written books on people and places. Most writers I admired quoted Thoreau and spoke highly of Walden. I wanted to be in their circle. But alas, I had to let it go. 

No doesn’t mean never and that’s the case for books. I wrote this fact on multiple occasions. Yet, here I am writing about it again after failing to adhere to my advice and agonizing over how much I disliked reading the book but willing myself to give a shit about Walden pond. 

I have no doubt Thoreau is a wonderful writer and Walden a great book. Maybe it just means I’m too early in my development to appreciate greatness. That was the case with Dan Harmon’s show, Community. It took about nine years to pass before I learned to appreciate that show. 

Still, I can’t help but feel it such a major defeat to reject a great writer. It feels akin to admitting I’m a young grasshopper that is not ready. But alas, I’ll have to conclude it is I who is not ready for Thoreau. 

I may not ever appreciate Thoreau either. I don’t find ponds interesting, and hikes in nature a bore. That’s not to say I love long walks but I love them through a quiet city. I also find America in the 1800s hard to visualize and appreciate. Why is New England special? I still do not understand the fascination with U.S. presidents. But that’s just me today and this may change. 

A book is stagnant. It is the reader who changes and it really sucks to admit it but I am not ready for Thoreau yet. I thought I was because I decided I’d be a writer and I’d read some 100+ books now. I thought I would be part of the group of people who understood Walden and could quote Thoreau like I could the chorus of a movie soundtrack. 

Not yet. Not yet.