From Walden to the Taiga: Thoreau and Tesson in Dialogue into the Wild

About the books:

The Consolations of the Forest: Alone in a Cabin on the Siberian Taiga (in French Dans les forêts de Sibérie) recounts the six months Tesson spent in 2010 living in isolation on the frozen shores of Lake Baikal. With only his books, provisions, and his own thoughts for company, he transforms a Siberian cabin into a laboratory of freedom, silence, and slow living.

Wry, exuberant, and deeply reflective, Tesson’s memoir asks urgent questions about how to live deliberately in an age of distraction. His prose captures both the harsh beauty of the wilderness and the inner landscape of solitude, offering readers a rare glimpse into the art of slowing down.

Sylvain Tesson is a French writer and traveler, born in Paris. His extraordinary journeys—across continents by bicycle, on horseback, or on foot—have inspired a series of acclaimed books blending adventure, philosophy, and literature. He is the recipient of several major literary prizes, including the Prix Médicis essai (2009) for Dans les forêts de Sibérie, the Prix Renaudot (2019) for La Panthère des neiges (The Art of Patience), and the Prix Interallié (2021) for Blanc.

Walden; or, Life in the Woods (1854) recounts the two years Henry David Thoreau spent living in a small cabin he built himself on the shores of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. With little more than the bare necessities, he turned his retreat into an experiment in simplicity, self-reliance, and close observation of the natural world.

Spare, eloquent, and deeply reflective, Thoreau’s classic work asks timeless questions about freedom, consumption, and the meaning of a deliberate life. His prose captures both the quiet beauty of the New England landscape and the inner transformation solitude can bring, offering readers an enduring guide to mindfulness and independence.

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was an American essayist, poet, philosopher, and naturalist, closely associated with the transcendentalist movement. His writings on nature, civil disobedience, and simple living have influenced generations of thinkers, activists, and environmentalists worldwide.

About the Speaker:

Pierre-Laurent Boulanger teaches philosophy at the International School of Boston. He previously taught for ten years in the Philosophy Department at Université Paris Nanterre, with a research focus on the philosophy of the body and sport.

Passionate about making philosophical ideas accessible and relevant, he brings a thoughtful and engaging approach to public discussion. His welcoming style invites participants of all backgrounds to explore life’s big questions through literature, conversation, and shared reflection.

This event launches our new series of philosophy-infused literary gatherings, with upcoming sessions on Tocqueville, Thoreau, and Sylvain Tesson.