description The Maine Woods Overview
The Maine Woods is a posthumously published 1864 collection of travel essays by American author Henry David Thoreau. The book comprises three distinct accounts of his excursions into the forested wilderness of northern Maine, specifically focusing on Mount Katahdin and the Allegash and East Branch rivers. Throughout the text, Thoreau documents his observations of the rugged landscape, his interactions with Native American guides, and his philosophical arguments for the preservation of wild spaces. The work remains a foundational text in American environmental literature.
insights Ranking position
The Maine Woods ranks #69 of 178 in the Travelogue ranking, behind The Lost Continent, ahead of Dark Star Safari.
help The Maine Woods FAQ
Which journeys are collected in The Maine Woods?
The book contains "Ktaadn," "Chesuncook," and "The Allegash and East Branch." These accounts draw on Thoreau's separate expeditions into Maine in the 1840s and 1850s.
Why was The Maine Woods published after Thoreau's death?
Thoreau died in 1862 before assembling the three narratives as a finished book. Ticknor and Fields published the collection in 1864.
Is Thoreau's Ktaadn the mountain now called Katahdin?
Yes, "Ktaadn" describes his attempt to climb Maine's Mount Katahdin. The mountain is now the northern endpoint of the Appalachian Trail and the highest summit in Maine.
Does The Maine Woods include Native American guides?
Yes, Penobscot guides are central to Thoreau's later Maine journeys. Joe Polis guides the expedition in "The Allegash and East Branch" and shapes many of Thoreau's observations about travel and the landscape.
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