AN UNSUITABLE LECTURE

AT THE SAWYER FREE

An unnamed critic for the Gloucester Telegraph declared that Henry D. Thoreau’s lecture was “unique” before he took umbrage and condemned it as “not exactly suitable for a Gloucester audience.” 175 years ago, in December, 1848, Thoreau auditioned his upcoming book, Walden, before an audience of Gloucester folks at the Lyceum (today the Legion Hall).

Wayne Soini, a local author to whom Gloucester audiences’ feedback has given like help, through the lens of Thoreau’s controversial performance in Gloucester of “Economy,” which evolved into Chapter One of his classic book, tells about the man Henry D. Thoreau and the writing (and rewriting) of Walden.