This collection of sixty-one essays and twenty-three poems gives a well-rounded view of an important figure in the evolution of American literature. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) addressed most of the controversial issues of his time with an incisive mind and an articulate pen. Some of his views and beliefs have helped shape American literature and to define the American character. He is an example of "the American Adam," an open-minded, curious, innocent who confronts the world with zeal, optimism and the ability to think freely without a need to fit himself into any particular tradition—rather, to help explore, experiment and define the new experience of American culture.

Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden Pond, lived on Emerson's property and was a close associate. Emerson also collaborated with Margaret Fuller in publishing The Dial, a literary journal, which is where most of his essays were originally published. He eventually earned international recognition for his essays and for his political involvements. Emerson's essays bring a fresh look and a new perspective to their subjects that make them interesting more than 120 years after original publication.

His poetry, although a sideline, is rich with the fruits of his transcendentalist involvement with nature, as well as more personal triumphs and losses.