Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was an American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, and historian. A leading transcendentalist, Thoreau is best known for his book 'Walden,' a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay 'Civil Disobedience,' an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. Thoreau's philosophy of civil disobedience later influenced the political thoughts and actions of notable figures such as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. Born in Concord, Massachusetts, Thoreau was a graduate of Harvard University where he studied classics and philosophy. Following his graduation, Thoreau worked in the family pencil manufacturing business before pursuing a career as a poet and writer. 'Canoeing in the Wilderness', another example of his work, chronicles Thoreau's experiences on a canoe trip into the Maine woods and reflects his deep engagement with nature and his contemplative life. Thoreau's literary style combines natural observation, personal experience, pointed rhetoric, symbolic meanings, and historical lore, while displaying a poetic sensibility, philosophical austerity, and Yankee attention to practical detail. His emphasis on the interconnectedness of nature, society, and the individual was a profound contribution to American literature and thought, continuing to resonate with audiences today.