Journey into the Transcendentalists' New England

by R. Todd Felton

Overview

This lavishly illustrated volume examines the major figures of the Transcendentalist movement and explores the places that inspired them. Beginning with Transcendentalism’s birth in Boston and Cambridge, the book charts the development of a movement that revolutionized American ideas about the artistic, spiritual, and natural worlds. At the same time, it creates a vivid sense of New England in the nineteenth century, from its idyllic countryside and sleepy towns to its bustling ports and burgeoning cities. The book is divided geographically into chapters, each focusing on a town or village famous for its relationship to one or more of the Transcendentalists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780976670643
Publisher:	Roaring Forties Press
Publication date:	06/28/2006
Series:	ArtPlace series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.49(d)

About the Author

R. Todd Felton is a photographer and writer who specializes in literary travel guides. A former founding director of a writing center and a former English department chair, Felton is the author of A Journey into Ireland's Literary Revival. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

"A beautiful book...The author sends the reader on a journey without intrusion, like the best of guides."  —American Transcendentalists website

"Capture[s] beautifully...the hustle and bustle of mid-19th century New England life."  —New England Watershed Magazine 

"Traveling with this book [will] infuse the places mentioned...with meaning."  —Get Lost Books

From the Publisher

Ralph Waldo Emerson once tried to convince his listeners that the idea was nothing new. "What is popularly called Transcendentalism among us," he told his audience, "is Idealism; Idealism as it appears in 1842." But in 2006, we know better: the New England Transcendentalists helped shape American literature, culture, and political attitudes. This welcome addition to Roaring Forties' ArtPlace series situates the movement in the places where it flourished; the cities, villages, and farms of New England. Part history; part travel guide; part literary criticism; part biography; yet one complete pleasure.

This well-designed, beautiful volume . . . [invites] both tourists and armchair travelers.

Emily Dickinson International Society Bulletin

Not only . . . fascinating reading but will . . . have you planning your next trip to New England.

Offbeat Travel

The third title in the "ArtPlace" series (after A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York and A Journey into Steinbeck's California) continues the publisher's mission to incorporate biography, art, and history into travel guides. This well-researched volume opens with an overview of Transcendentalism and introduces the major figures of the movement and their writings. As Transcendentalism was inextricably tied to its place of origin-New England-the major centers of the movement are also discussed. The remainder of the book consists of chapters devoted to cities such as Boston, Cambridge, and Concord; each chapter contains a wealth of historical information accompanied by archival photographs. Sidebars help the reader further understand the significance of the movement, and maps sprinkled throughout identify the present-day locations of historical sites referenced in the text. The unique subject matter-New England plus Transcendentalism and its followers-will appeal to a wide audience. Some travelers might carry this volume along while sightseeing; others may wish to use it for travel research. Armchair travelers and even those without much wanderlust will want to read this for pure pleasure. Highly recommended.-Rita Simmons, Sterling Heights P.L., MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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