FOLLOWED BY THE LARK

While narrator Jennifer Pickens wrings all the passion she can out of this novelized life of Henry David Thoreau, the audiobook keeps its focus firmly on Thoreau's inner world, especially his relationship with nature. Although that relationship is active, it is not dramatic. Thoreau may have been thrilled to discover a climbing fern, but few listeners will share his excitement. Even his decision to propose marriage (she turned him down) is approached only through his interior monologue about his doubts. As accomplished a narrator as Pickens is, she cannot bring high emotion to this. The great essay "Civil Disobedience," about Thoreau's act of principle and nights in jail, is elided completely. Sadly, the Thoreau we get here is something of a drip. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2024]