Nature (version 2)
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Read by Jesse Zuba
First published anonymously in 1836, Nature marks the beginning both of Emerson’s literary career and the Transcendentalist movement. Asking why his generation “should not also enjoy an original relation to the universe,” Emerson argues that “Man is a god in ruins” who might yet be redeemed by the renewal of harmony with nature. Encompassing themes that would preoccupy him for years to come, including the repressive force of social routine, the divinity of nature, and the creative potential of the individual, Nature reflected recent developments in European philosophy and literature even as it pushed American artists to break new ground. The book’s initial reception was mixed, but it influenced members of Emerson’s circle, including such luminaries as Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller, and it would go on to inspire the work of writers ranging from Walt Whitman and Friedrich Nietzsche to Robert Frost and Ralph Ellison. - Summary by Jesse Zuba (1 hr 47 min)
Chapters
Introduction | 4:31 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter I - Nature | 6:46 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter II - Commodity | 3:51 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter III - Beauty | 14:25 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter IV - Language | 16:24 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter V - Discipline | 17:02 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter VI - Idealism | 20:24 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter VII - Spirit | 7:22 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Chapter VIII - Prospects | 17:14 | Read by Jesse Zuba |
Reviews
Jesse Zuba is a stunning narrator
Dees Vega
What a gift Mr. Zuba has bestowed upon us with his reading. His calm baritone and transparent dictation are a pleasure to listen to. He does great justice to Emerson's masterful essay.
Wonder-filled
Truett Page
A marvelous text given a splendid reading. I received what I was not expecting. Thank you for this.
John Weaver
Good reading. Emerson is a hard read for me, but can be thought-provoking all the same.
great reader
agoodsourceof
wonderful read through a classic collection of seminal essays for american transcendentalism