Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Essays" by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a compilation of philosophical ponderings and speeches from the 1800s that explores big ideas like being yourself, depending on yourself, and how humans connect with nature. Emerson’s book helped create American transcendentalism, asking people to think about how life, thoughts, and nature are all linked. The beginning of this collection explains Emerson's life and what shaped him, showing how he changed from a shy student to a well-known philosopher and speaker. It talks about his schooling, his short time as a minister, and why he started writing and giving lectures after sharing ideas that went against normal religious beliefs. The story shows Emerson's faith in the "American Scholar," someone who is smart, thinks for themselves, cares about social problems, and lives in peace with nature, which gets everything ready for the important ideas found in the essays.