The Riddle of Thoreau with Richard Higgins

Thoreau’s critique of formal religion was matched only by his rapturous encounters with the divine in nature. He remained a harsh critic of the “respectable” Christianity of his day, but was also a mystic on a lifelong quest to commune with a divine mystery, while remaining firmly attached this world. His eclectic, experiential spirituality still resonates with spiritual seekers in America today. Author Richard Higgins will discuss his new book, Thoreau’s God, which explores the riddle of Thoreau’s spiritual life.

?Richard Higgins is a writer, book editor and the author or editor of five books, including, his most recent, Thoreau’s God, (U. of Chicago Press, 2024) and Thoreau and the Language of Trees (U. of California Press, 2017). He coauthored Portfolio Life and was a volume editor of the essay collection Taking Faith Seriously from Harvard University Press. A staff writer for The Boston Globe for 20 years, Richard lives in Concord and is a member of the Thoreau Society board. A graduate of Holy Cross College, Columbia Journalism School, and Harvard Divinity School, Richard has written for The New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Century, American Scholar, and other publications.