--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I read anything by Henry David…" description: "\"“Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly feel as though he’s with me. No. More like I am with him.”\" — Nicholas Trandahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/nicholas-trandahl-29310_david-thoreau_whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david_1336034.jpg" --- # Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly… ![“Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly feel as though he’s with me. No. More like I am with him.” quote by Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/nicholas-trandahl-29310_david-thoreau_whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david_1336034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/nicholas-trandahl-29310_david-thoreau_whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david_1336034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f7/nicholas-trandahl-29310_david-thoreau_whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david_1336034.jpg) > ““Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly feel as though he’s with me. No. More like I am with him.”” [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading Thoreau creates a sense of companionship, as if his thoughts are present with you. **In simple terms:** Thoreau feels like a companion. Key Takeaway Embrace the connection with authors. Themes companionship literature reflection Mood contemplative introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading sessions - study groups - solo walks - creative writing - meditation Key Concepts philosophy solitude identity Questions to Reflect On - How does this feeling affect your own thoughts? - What does it mean to be 'with' a writer? A Different Perspective Some may feel the connection is one‑sided. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [David thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-thoreau/) [Feel Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-like/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henry-david-thoreau/) [Honestly Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly-feel/) [Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoreau/) [Thoreau Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoreau-honestly-4498243/) ## Related quotes > [“Give me a bottle of hard cider, a bowl of Peterson Irish Oak in my Neerup pipe, and please, above all, give my Henry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/give-me-a-bottle-of-hard-cider-a-bowl-of-peterson-irish-oak-in-my/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Henry David Thoreau is my favorite writer of all time, my literary god king, and his essay Wild Apples is my favorite thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/henry-david-thoreau-is-my-favorite-writer-of-all-time-my-literary-god/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Even Henry David Thoreau, not known for kvetching, wrote in The Maine Woods that he was “seriously molested” by bugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/even-henry-david-thoreau-not-known-for-kvetching-wrote-in-the-maine/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify! Simplify! Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-catherine-rozek/our-life-is-frittered-away-by-detail-simplify-simplify-henry-david/) [Jane Catherine Rozek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-catherine-rozek/) > [“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. —Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/rather-than-love-than-money-than-fame-give-me-truth-henry-david/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“The American Anti-Slavery Society, on the other hand, said the war was “waged solely for the detestable and horrible purpose of extending and perpetuating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-american-anti-slavery-society-on-the-other-hand-said-the-war-was/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. 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Now put the foundations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/if-you-have-built-castles-in-the-air-your-work-need-not-be-lost-that-2/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [“My greatest skill has been to want little. —HENRY DAVID THOREAU, WALDEN A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-potts/my-greatest-skill-has-been-to-want-little-henry-david-thoreau-walden-a/) [Rolf Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-potts/) > [“There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/there-are-thousands-who-are-in-opinion-opposed-to-slavery-and-to-war/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind-us-are-small-matters/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” ~ Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-leopold/many-men-go-fishing-all-of-their-lives-without-knowing-that-it-is-not/) [Scott Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-leopold/) > [“It's hard to explain, but it's related to me know that for every moment of beauty this place gives me, I probably miss a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/it-s-hard-to-explain-but-it-s-related-to-me-know-that-for-every/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [Henry David Thoreau, who never earned much of a living or sustained a relationship with any woman that wasn't brotherly -- who lived mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/henry-david-thoreau-who-never-earned-much-of-a-living-or-sustained-a/) [Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/) > [I like the story about Henry David Thoreau, who, when he was on his death bed, his family sent for a minister. The minister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/i-like-the-story-about-henry-david-thoreau-who-when-he-was-on-his/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) ## More by Nicholas Trandahl > [“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“As long as I have other ideas and projects noted, I feel confident that they'll be alright until I get to them. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/as-long-as-i-have-other-ideas-and-projects-noted-i-feel-confident/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I feel like these characters, these places, these beings and plots, and even these inanimate objects are counting on me for survival. 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I either have to be very depressed or very inspired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-have-to-be-in-a-particular-mindset-to-write-poetry-i-either-have-to/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Thoreau’s writings feel more alive to me than any thing that I’ve ever read. When I read anything by Thoreau, I see his subject.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/thoreau-s-writings-feel-more-alive-to-me-than-any-thing-that-i-ve/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Edgar Allan Poe’s writings showed me perfectly that there can be such fragile beauty and purity located in darkness and sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/edgar-allan-poe-s-writings-showed-me-perfectly-that-there-can-be-such/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I’m a man of music as much as I am a man of words and prose. One could even possibly say that they, music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-m-a-man-of-music-as-much-as-i-am-a-man-of-words-and-prose-one-could/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“There are a couple of utterly important rules to writing anything, whether it's a novel, a short story or a collection of poetry. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/there-are-a-couple-of-utterly-important-rules-to-writing-anything/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I just need to sit, think, write and read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-just-need-to-sit-think-write-and-read/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Poetry is a niche genre, sure, but it has a way of opening people up. It opens me up. As with music and art,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/poetry-is-a-niche-genre-sure-but-it-has-a-way-of-opening-people-up-it/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Henry David Thoreau is my favorite writer of all time, my literary god king, and his essay Wild Apples is my favorite thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/henry-david-thoreau-is-my-favorite-writer-of-all-time-my-literary-god/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) [Explore all 18 Nicholas Trandahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) ## More David thoreau quotes > [I like the story about Henry David Thoreau, who, when he was on his death bed, his family sent for a minister. The minister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-udall/i-like-the-story-about-henry-david-thoreau-who-when-he-was-on-his/) [Stewart Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-udall/) > [Henry David Thoreau, who never earned much of a living or sustained a relationship with any woman that wasn't brotherly -- who lived mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hoagland/henry-david-thoreau-who-never-earned-much-of-a-living-or-sustained-a/) [Edward Hoagland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hoagland/) > [If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-a-man-does-not-keep-pace-with-his-companions-perhaps-it-is-because/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“It's hard to explain, but it's related to me know that for every moment of beauty this place gives me, I probably miss a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/it-s-hard-to-explain-but-it-s-related-to-me-know-that-for-every/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” ~ Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-leopold/many-men-go-fishing-all-of-their-lives-without-knowing-that-it-is-not/) [Scott Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-leopold/) > [“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind-us-are-small-matters/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-soelle/there-are-thousands-who-are-in-opinion-opposed-to-slavery-and-to-war/) [Dorothee Soelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-soelle/) > [“My greatest skill has been to want little. —HENRY DAVID THOREAU, WALDEN A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-potts/my-greatest-skill-has-been-to-want-little-henry-david-thoreau-walden-a/) [Rolf Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-potts/) > [“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/if-you-have-built-castles-in-the-air-your-work-need-not-be-lost-that-2/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [What I treasure most at any moment is intimacy, surprise, a sense of mystery, wit, depth and love. A handful of cherished friends offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/what-i-treasure-most-at-any-moment-is-intimacy-surprise-a-sense-of/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. HENRY DAVID THOREAU”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/i-know-of-no-more-encouraging-fact-than-the-unquestionable-ability-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“The American Anti-Slavery Society, on the other hand, said the war was “waged solely for the detestable and horrible purpose of extending and perpetuating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-american-anti-slavery-society-on-the-other-hand-said-the-war-was/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. —Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/rather-than-love-than-money-than-fame-give-me-truth-henry-david/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify! Simplify! Henry David Thoreau”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-catherine-rozek/our-life-is-frittered-away-by-detail-simplify-simplify-henry-david/) [Jane Catherine Rozek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-catherine-rozek/) > [Parents often give middle names just so that later, when they're yelling at the kid, they can drag it out. Henry David Thoreau, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reiser/parents-often-give-middle-names-just-so-that-later-when-they-re/) [Paul Reiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reiser/) [Browse all 47 David thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-thoreau/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly feel as though he’s with me. 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