Join me for a journey to Concord, Massachussetts, in the mid-19th Century and explore the life, times, and thought of Henry David Thoreau in this acclaimed new three-part documentary from Ken Burns and co. I really enjoyed this film and am looking forward to the chance to talk about it with some of you.
Thoreau came of age in a heady time and place in which Unitarians and Transcendentalists were spurring America’s first unique literary and spiritual movement — one that challenged tradition and sought new truths. Many were also deeply involved in the Abolitionist movement that was on the brink of changing the course of the young republic’s history. The film takes us into Thoreau’s personal quest to deeply understand the world through his life and writing, his devotion to the study of nature, and his budding social activism that would eventually inspire movements for change the world over. With friends and colleagues such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, Thoreau and the Transcendentalists were forging new spiritual territory that was far ahead of its time, but would become foundational in the evolution of American Unitarianism into the 20th Century and beyond.
Filled with lush scenery and a beautiful original score by longtime Ken Burns collaborator David Cieri, the film is narrated by George Clooney and features commentary by contemporary scholars and environmentalists. Primary source material is brought to life via the voices of Meryl Streep, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson and others. (See below for the trailer.)
We will watch each of the three episodes, which are approximately an hour in length, and then have time for an hour of discussion to delve deeper. The planned schedule is:
Part 1 – Sunday July 19th 1-3PM in Forbes.
Part 2 – Sunday July 26th 1-3PM in Forbes.
Part 3 – Sunday August 16th 1-3PM in Forbes.
To RSVP and/or with any questions, please contact AdultRE@uusm.org.
From The Guardian: His perspective is so relevant’: the A-listers bringing Henry David Thoreau Back to Screen
