RM’s birthday was earlier this month, and what better way to celebrate it than by taking a closer look at one of his reading recommendations? Back in September of 2019, RM was seen reading Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson in a Bangtan Bomb video.
This book-long essay was published in 1836, and it explores various ideas about nature from the point of view of transcendentalism – a philosophical movement. It’s hardly a surprise that RM, well-known for his inquisitive mind and love of nature, would have read a book like this. And even less surprising that ARMY would want to read it too.
Are you wondering if you should pick it up? Let’s talk about Nature, so you can decide!
What You Need to Know
Who’s the author?
Ralph Waldo Emerson, also known as Waldo, was a prolific American writer and essayist born in 1803. He was one of the main proponents of transcendentalism, which plays a significant role in this book.
Emerson wrote Nature as an essay in which he had a message to convey. He attempted to make the reader reflect on the relationship between nature and humans, while also offering his own philosophical perspective about it.
Is It challenging?
Some BTS reading recommendations are more approachable than others, but a bit of patience is all you need here. Philosophy can feel intimidating, but many of Emerson’s ideas are well-known by now more than a century and a half after Nature was published, so don’t worry too much about it.
The book explores the philosophical movement of transcendentalism, and if you don’t know what that is, it’s totally fine. We’ll expand on that shortly. For now, know that it can be slightly challenging, but also short, and it is worth a try!
What is it about?
Here’s the short version—This book showcases different perspectives of nature in relation to humans, as a commodity, symbolically in our language, and as a way to satisfy our love for beauty, among many others.
That’s the essence of it, but if you wish for a little help before you pick up the book, read on for a couple of things to know as a head start!
Before You Read
First, Emerson uses two definitions of nature. There’s “nature” understood as the rivers, trees, mountains, and all of its elements. And there’s “Nature” in its philosophical meaning.
“Philosophically considered, the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. Strictly speaking, therefore, all that is separate from us, all which Philosophy distinguishes as the NOT ME, that is, both nature and art, all other men and my own body, must be ranked under this name, NATURE.” (Emerson, 1836).
Second, in this book, you encounter the foundations of transcendentalism, which greatly appreciates nature. Of course, there’s a lot more to it, and we encourage you to look it up, but we’ll keep it short here.
This philosophical movement proposes that observing and studying nature allows us to understand reality and how the world works. Those reflections about nature are exactly what the book is trying to showcase.
Is This The Book For You?
You might enjoy it
Some people will enjoy Nature more than others, especially those who enjoy activities that fall under the term "Namjooning." If you like philosophy, poetry, nature or simply wondering about the world, this might be a good book for you to pick up.
If you also love reflecting on what you read, taking notes, and you have a bit of time on your hands, this could be a nice book to dive into. You’ll have a bunch of poetic quotes to show for it in the end!
“But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and vulgar things.” (Emerson, 1836).
You might not enjoy it
Fair warning, if the words philosophy or poetry make you want to walk away, this might not be the book for you. Additionally, if you get bored with slow reads, consider passing on this one.
Nature was published in 1836, which means some ideas, vocabulary, or even the writing style can feel outdated at times. It’s also worth noting that religious ideas are prominent in the book, but they can be interpreted without religion if you’re not fond of those themes.
Also, if you just want a fun read to refresh a tired mind, there might be better books to pick up right now. You can read Nature quickly or even listen to the audiobook without paying much attention before sleeping, but you won’t get much out of it that way.
You can always give it a try and find out for yourself, though!
Final Thoughts
All in all, Nature is the kind of book that invites you to read it slowly, ponder on the ideas, re-read sentences, and take notes. Its poetic language might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it does make for a beautiful read.
So, have you read it? If you haven’t, we are curious if you’re interested in picking it up now. We would love to know your thoughts!
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Rebeca
Edited By: Aury
Checked By: Shelley
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