<br> <br><br>In July 1845, Henry David Thoreau built a small cottage in the woods near Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. During the two years and two months he spent there, he began to write <i>Walden</i>, a chronicle of his communion with nature that became one of the most influential and compelling books in American literature. As the favorite book of generations of readers, <i>Walden</i> has become part of the American landscape. Its message of living simply, in harmony with nature, is needed now more than ever. Here are select passages that provide a perfect introduction to <i>Walden</i>, along with woodblock engravings by Michael McCurdy and two audio CDs with samples of the text read aloud.