Transcendentalism for the Modern Teen

I make my triumphant return! I come bearing a new book! My most recent read is an intriguing one: Being Henry David by Cal Armistead. The beginning of the book sets a dramatic scene. A lone teenage boy, waking up in a New York train station, with no recollection of who he is. All he has is a worn copy of Henry David Thoreau's Walden and a ten-dollar bill. What ensues would have given Thoreau severe anxiety. Henry David, or Hank, as the boy decides to call himself, soon falls into trouble. Mishaps on the streets of New York eventually lead to his fleeing the city for Thoreau's hometown- Concord, Massachusetts. Hank is haunted by flashes of his past and dreams of Thoreau. What has he done that could cause him to want him to forget so fiercely? Bits and pieces of his past life float up through his adventures, and help him along the way. Hank is searching for something. But what is it? Armistead weaves us a gripping tale of regret, new hope, and simplicity. Hank's struggles are easy to empathize with, yet as a reader it is difficult to comprehend the length and breadth of his past, and how it affects his future. Armistead had me to the last page. His creation is an excellent read for lovers of the transcendentalists as well as fans of other YA stories.

(picture courtesy of therewerebooksinvolved.com)