The flowering of New England

This book I picked up from the old books section of Strand book store in New York City. Wow what a jewel. I have read many exclusive books on Emerson, Thoreau, Quincy Adams, Webster, etc., but this book is a smorgasbord in a single book. No wonder it won a Pulitzer and National book award. English is my second language and I immigrated to America just 7 years back but I loved the writing style of the early 20th century in America and the literary horizon of New England at that time. I am definitely picking other books by this author. Try also my other favorite books about the New England characters in the above book. 1. Emerson: The Mind on Fire, 2.Henry Thoreau: A Life of the Mind 3.The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail: A Play 4.Daniel Webster: The Man and His Time 5.John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life 6. John Adams-David McCullough

This beautifully written book often matches the eloquence of its 19th century New England subjects - Hawthorne, Emerson, Parker, Thoreau, etc. You read this book and quickly grasp the genesis of contemporary ideas (whether you agree with them or not). It will also make you yearn for a simpler, more genteel time. I would recommend anything by this author.