I am pretty on board with the philosophy that the author is trying to put forward, but I just really can't stand the overdone writing with all its flourishes and tangents. Another era I suppose. I'll try to find a summary of the main philosophical ideas somewhere else. DNF.

Aaand there we are -- there had to be a veritable Thoreau eulogy sooner rather than later.  I love the sense of spiritual companionship coming through here, though -- and I love how she is attributing different times of day and environments to different authors.  Ah, the luxury of being able to do that in the first place!

Am 31. August 1846 fuhr ich mit Eisenbahn und Dampfboot von Concord, Massachusetts, nach Bangor und ins Hinterland von Maine, um einen im Holzhandel tätigen Verwandten bis zum Damm am westlichen Nebenfluss des Penobscot zu begleiten, wo er Land kaufen wollte.

To be great we do as if we would be tall merely, longer then we are broad, stretch ourselves and stand on tiptoe. But greatness is well-proportioned,unstrained, and stands on the soles of the feet.