Is there any young person who has not built or imagined having his own secret hideout, where he could go and leave the world behind? Henry Thoreau built such a place with his own hands and lived in it for two years when he was a young man. He has left behind in his writings a wealth of detail on how his cabin by Walden Pond in Massachusetts was constructed, how much it cost him, what he furnished it with, and what he planted for his food. Truly, this was an experiment in living that reflected a real spirit of adventure, a strong individualism, and a deep love of nature.

Thoreau's greatest love was for nature and the outdoors, with its woods, lakes, and rivers, and all the creatures that inhabited them. This was one reason for his going to Walden. By going on long canoe trips and hikes, he also explored all the surrounding country of New England. Though he was not overly fond of human society, he enjoyed living with the family of Ralph Waldo Emerson and playing with and instructing Emerson's five children. And it was his respect for the dignity of his fellow man that made him such a despiser of slavery. He went to jail for refusing to pay his poll-tax because it supported slavery. He operated a station on the Underground Railroad. He spoke vehemently against the Fugitive Slave Act, and, in a magnificent oration, he championed John Brown after his attack on Harper's Ferry.

This is a fascinating and inspiring book about a complex, likeable non-conformist. The title is taken from Walden: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

The refreshing pictures by Miss Graham convey the strength and poetry in Henry Thoreau's life.

From the dust jacket