Clifton Johnson Livres

Essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817-62) ranks among America's foremost nature writers. The Concord, Massachusetts, native spent most of his life observing the natural world of New England. His thoughts on leading a simple, independent life remain a foundation of modern environmentalism, as captured in Walden, his best-known work.Canoeing in the Wilderness, the 1857 diary of a two-week sojourn in Maine, chronicles the author's travels with a friend and a Native American guide. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Maine woodlands were still in pristine condition, inhabited by a handful of Native Americans, pioneer farmers, the occasional lumberjack, and a rich and diverse wildlife population. Thoreau's poetic yet realistic observations of the landscape are accompanied by his accounts of day-to-day events. From camping by the waterside and waking to birdsong to enduring mosquitoes and cloudbursts, he writes with grace and clarity that bring the American wilderness to vivid life.

First published in 1894, 'An English Village' is a delightful account of rural life in England at the turn of the 20th century. Written by Clifton Johnson, an American traveller and photographer, the book is a charming portrait of a world that has long since disappeared. From descriptions of local characters and customs to vivid accounts of the countryside and its wildlife, 'An English Village' is essential reading for anyone interested in the history and culture of rural England.

It is believed that the volumes in this Picturesque River Series are sufficiently comprehensive in their text to make them distinctly valuable as guide books; and at the same time they are compact enough in size not to be burdensome to those who wish to carry them in trunk or bag. There is, of course, no attempt to give a detailed catalog of all the charms of any particular stream, for that could only be done at a sacrifice of readableness. But the more striking features -- picturesque, historic, literary, legendary -- have received ample attention. A great variety of volumes more or less closely related to the story of each river has been consulted, and many fragments of fact and fancy have been culled from such sources and woven into the text of the present series; but there is also included much which is the result of personal observation, and of contact with chance acquaintances, who furnish to every traveller a great deal of the pleasure and human interest of any particular journey. The numberous pictures were all made especially for these books with the intent of supplying an attractive summary of each stream's individuality. All in all, the books, both in their literary and pictorial features, are of such a character that they should be of general interest and in a marked degree serviceable to whoever wishes to make a journey beside or on any of the rivers that find place in this series.

This illustrated travelogue takes the reader on a journey along the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Kingston, capturing the beauty of the landscape and the charm of the towns and villages along the way. Johnson's vivid descriptions and stunning photographs make this book a must-read for anyone who has visited or plans to visit the region.

It is not always easy for a writer, in selecting a title for a new book, to hit on one that exactly meets all the needs of the subject. There must often be some compromise, some sacrifice. Thus, in the case of the present volume, the title may prove misleading if taken too literally. The paths I trod were not always secluded, or those with which our tourists are unfamiliar; and I can only offer the excuse that they always receive a "byway" treatment. It is a book of strolling, a book of nature, a book of humble peasant life, intermingled with the chance experiences of the narrator. It has little to do with large towns, but much with rural villages, farm firesides, the fields, and the country lanes. I finish it with the hope that it may be accorded the same pleasant reception given its predecessor, "Among English Hedgerows." -- Clifton Johnson

John Burroughs was an American naturalist, essayist, and literary critic. This book is a collection of his talks, in which he reflects on his life, his work, and the natural world that he loved. The talks are full of insight and wisdom, and provide a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a great thinker.