Of America's greatest writers, Henry David Thoreau was many things, including a poet, surveyor, naturalist, and more. Above all else, though, he was a writer — and Walden may be his most memorable work. It follows a year in the life of the man as he lives at Walden Pond, visiting bean fields, the local village, and engaging with interesting neighbors. It's a deep look into human and natural law, praising literature and solitude all the while.