Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1820-1824: Vol. 1, Riverside Press Ed‪.‬

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s teachings are densely packed, provocative, moral and philosophical masterpieces of American thought. Flip through the pages of any of his writings and place a finger on a random passage. In almost every case, you can read even a brief quote of Emerson’s and spend days pondering and analyzing the meaning of his words. Doing so, however, will only paint a partial picture of the character and personality of Emerson. While attending Harvard College in his junior year, Emerson began to write his thoughts in a series of journals. He would continue the practice fairly regularly for the rest of his life. At the time, journals weren’t necessarily private thoughts. In Emerson’s case, he knew his journals would be shared. The journals introduce readers to another side of Emerson. They allow those interested in Emerson to dive deeper into his thoughts and the inspirations behind his works. These editions of the journals are particularly valuable, as they were collected and edited by his son, Edward Waldo Emerson, and his nephew, Waldo Emerson Forbes.