Henry David Thoreau: Surveyor of the Soul

Over a comparatively short career, writer-philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) compiled a thoughtful, impressive, and eclectic body of work covering a variety of subjects, many of which superficially seem unrelated yet ultimately have numerous intriguing connections. In this new documentary, filmmaker Huey (aka James Coleman) insightfully examines how an unconventional author who worked as a land surveyor applied the same vocational principles to assessing his own existence, as well as that of humans as a species. The film explores the intricate interrelationships among topics ranging from philosophy and nature studies to social commentary, even travelogs. It further demonstrates how Thoreau's outlook served as a metaphysical template for the reality he and we experience, providing guidance on such concepts as living in the moment, harmonizing with our environment and culture, and balancing the natural and humanmade and illustrating how to do so from a deliberately conscious standpoint.