Walking, Autumnal Tints & Wild Apples

“In wildness is the preservation of the world.”

Here are three of Thoreau’s most famous talks brought together in one volume. “Walking,” “Autumnal Tints,” and “Wild Apples” are all autumn essays—contemplative, deliberate, and insightful. They are profound reflections on nature, beauty, and our place in the world. In 1862, during Thoreau’s last weeks, he received a request from The Atlantic Monthly’s new editor, James Fields, to submit some of his work. These three were all published that year, after his death: “Walking” in June, “Autumnal Tints” in October, and “Wild Apples” in November. All three were also included in the collection Excursions, published in 1863.