Walden for Hire - by Ken Lizotte (Paperback)

About the Book

An in-depth look at Henry David Thoreau's innovative thinking and business achievements---for the unconventional professional and independent thinker.

Book Synopsis

An in-depth look at Henry David Thoreau's innovative thinking and business achievements--for the unconventional professional and independent thinker.

You may be surprised by the hidden business lessons of a man better known for Transcendentalism and Civil Disobedience. It's true--Henry David Thoreau has come to be defined primarily through the lenses of writer, environmentalist, thinker, surveyor, and activist. But a deeper look into his life reveals Thoreau as a creative and eclectic thought leader with timeless contributions in the business arena that are as profound as his impact in other disciplines.

Like so much else that Thoreau attempted in his life, when opportunities arose in his professional life, Thoreau not only proved himself more than capable at just about anything he put his mind to--from innovations in farming and science to writing and public speaking--but he did things in ways that were inventive and unconventional, often yielding highly-successful results.

In Walden for Hire, bestselling author Ken Lizotte draws out the hidden business insights we can all learn from through Thoreau's life and the body of his work, bringing to light how his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills drove multi successful business enterprises and an enduring legacy.

Review Quotes

'Henry David Thoreau is usually remembered as a poet and naturalist, yet Walden for Hire reveals him as an entrepreneur, innovator, and keen business mind. With clarity and wit, Ken Lizotte shows how Thoreau's approach to simplicity, ethics, and creativity anticipates the very qualities that define today's high-performance organizations. In doing so, Ken not only reframes Thoreau's legacy but also establishes himself as a masterful guide, drawing timeless lessons for leaders who want to build purposeful, resilient, and high-performing enterprises.'--Dr. Andre´ A. de Waal, MSc, MBA, PhD, author of What Makes A High Performance Organization and High Performance Managerial Leadership

'I taught what I thought was an experimental high school in the late 1970s. I had no idea that Henry had such ideas about education so long ago. Ken Lizotte makes Henry feel so interesting that it actually made me want to go back and read Walden, the very book that my English teacher tortured me with back in high school. I have never read a business book in my life. I have always been suspicious of businesspeople. Reading Henry's thoughts and ethical views give me new faith in the successful businessperson. I was taken by Henry's thought, 'The best business relationships are those that feel like friendships.' Such a great thought!'--S. M. Petricone, Professor, Science & Astronomy, Mass Bay Community College

'I would hire Henry David Thoreau. He was fastidious, trustworthy. Ralph Waldo Emerson trusted him to look after his household, wife, and children while he toured Europe. Thoreau opposed a textile-based economy reliant on slavery. He was superlatively ethical and uncompromising in this regard.'--Mike Frederick, former executive director of The Thoreau Society

'Ken Lizotte has somehow reframed our view of the life of one of the most remarkable people in American history. Literary pundits and scholars might insist we have to examine obscure corners of history to find a new Thoreau story. Ken looks instead at what is staring us in the face. The result is a brilliant achievement.'--Suzanne Bates, author of Speak Like a CEO, All the Leader You Can Be

'Ken Lizotte's surprise-filled gem Walden for Hire highlights many fascinating features of Concord's unique Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. Lizotte makes a most compelling case for Thoreau as America's premier polymath of the 19th Century. With captivating evidence, Lizotte confirms that Thoreau mastered everything he tried, and, amazingly, Polymath Henry tried almost everything! Read, Enjoy, Learn.'--Jack Maguire, author of Gleaning My Teeming Brain: Memoirs of a Polymath

'Ken Lizotte's Walden for Hire is a fascinating take on Henry David Thoreau never before explored in the hundreds of books about the famed denizen of Walden Pond already published: Thoreau the businessman. Why this oversight? Perhaps it was because those writing about Thoreau before Lizotte wanted to preserve his pristine and transcendentalist image. They viewed business as too crass--grubby, even--for someone so high-minded. Walden for Hire sees no such contradiction. In true Thoreauvian fashion, Lizotte offers a simple way to view business that is in full accord with the master's life and teachings: providing goods or services that are of value to others, thereby giving meaning to work.'--John Guaspari, author of If Engagement is the What, Then Respect is the How

'People think Thoreau didn't work because he didn't have a nine-to-five job or career. But if you look at what he did, he worked a lot: He was a teacher. Work! He was a surveyor. Work! He was a naturalist. Walking the woods and exploring was his work! He was a writer. Work! He was a lecturer. Work! He did manual labor. Work! He worked in the family pencil factory. Work!'--Jeffrey S. Cramer, author of The Portable Thoreau

'The mere thought of Thoreau earning money was already outside the usual scope of most scholarly approaches. Yet it was a real factor in the life of the 'saint of the woods' as it is for nearly all of us.'--Patrick Chura, author of Thoreau the Land Surveyor

'Thoreau labeled his mission [of living by Walden Pond] an effort to live 'simply' and 'deliberately, ' but he was well aware that to accomplish that, he still had to make money. He wanted to make it through his own terms--in harmony with the natural world that he had come to respect, and, for that matter, come to love. In light of this revelation, he was encouraging us to take a look at our own lives and think carefully about the value behind our own labors.'--Erik and Christopher Loren Ewers, co-producers of the PBS documentary Henry David Thoreau