Mysticism in American Literature: Thoreau's Quest and Whitman's Self
Paul Hourihan, Anna Hourihan (Editor), V. K. ChariOverview
OPEN THE HEART OF SELF-DISCOVERY through the lives and profound works of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman. This first of its kind overview celebrates the spiritual importance of these two influential American writers of the 19th century. Notable passages from Thoreau's Walden and Whitman's poem "Song of Myself" are explained from a mystical standpoint—the only way we can we truly understand their deeper message. When we share with these men of
letters their wisdom and strengths along with their faults, our own evolution advances. This book serves to open the heart of self-discovery for readers seeking their own self-understanding.
With a Ph.D. in American literature and a strong experiential background in the field of mysticism, Paul Hourihan is uniquely qualified to write this book. He was a serious student of the world's mystical traditions and committed to the spiritual path for over 45 years. For 15 years he taught dozens of courses and gave many lectures on the subjects of great mystics and mysticism in Ontario, Canada.
By combining his lifelong passion for literature and mysticism in this work, Dr. Hourihan, an award-winning author, gives us an insightful view of two of America's own literary mystics.
Recommended for religious collections by the Library Journal (May/04).
Synopsis
OPEN THE HEART OF SELF-DISCOVERY through the lives and profound works of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman. This first of its kind overview celebrates the spiritual importance of these two influential American writers of the 19th century. Notable passages from Thoreau's Walden and Whitman's poem "Song of Myself" are explained from a mystical standpoint-the only way we can we truly understand their deeper message. When we share with these men of
letters their wisdom and strengths along with their faults, our own evolution advances. This book serves to open the heart of self-discovery for readers seeking their own self-understanding.
With a Ph.D. in American literature and a strong experiential background in the field of mysticism, Paul Hourihan is uniquely qualified to write this book. He was a serious student of the world's mystical traditions and committed to the spiritual path for over 45 years. For 15 years he taught dozens of courses and gave many lectures on the subjects of great mystics and mysticism in Ontario, Canada.
By combining his lifelong passion for literature and mysticism in this work, Dr. Hourihan, an award-winning author, gives us an insightful view of two of America's own literary mystics.
Recommended for religious collections by the Library Journal (May/04).
Midwest Book Review
Written by a teacher with a Ph.D. in English literature and 25 years experience in mystical instruction and studies, "Mysticism in American Literature: Thoreau's Quest And Whitman's Self" is an introspective study of the lives and well-known works of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman from a mystical point of view. Exploring the spiritual struggles both men went through, in order to deepen the understanding and appreciation for their lives and works, "Mysticism in American Literature" is a sublime, literate, and thoughtfully reasoned study of enduring philosophical questions and ideals grounded both within and beyond the physical world.
Editorials
Midwest Book Review
Written by a teacher with a Ph.D. in English literature and 25 years experience in mystical instruction and studies, "Mysticism in American Literature: Thoreau's Quest And Whitman's Self" is an introspective study of the lives and well-known works of Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman from a mystical point of view. Exploring the spiritual struggles both men went through, in order to deepen the understanding and appreciation for their lives and works, "Mysticism in American Literature" is a sublime, literate, and thoughtfully reasoned study of enduring philosophical questions and ideals grounded both within and beyond the physical world.Library Journal
Hourihan, who died in 2001, wrote a number of scholarly articles on Thoreau and Emerson, but his real interest was mystical studies. Edited by his widow, Anna, this fourth entry in a series on Hourihan is based on his lectures on mystics and mysticism and does not quite fit the literary criticism genre. Its chapters read more like sermons, as the author is concerned only with highlighting the mystical elements in Thoreau's Walden and Whitman's "Song of Myself." Hourihan explains that both men experienced a great mystical revelation, showing how their major works reflected their religious insights. Ultimately, the two writers underwent declines in their later lives and writing, with Thoreau experiencing depression and Whitman failing to match the greatness of his first long poem. This book might have been welcome, as religious explications of these two authors are comparatively rare in book-length studies. Unfortunately, some readers will be turned off by Hourihan's single-minded emphasis on mystical insights as well as his repetitious prose style. Recommended only for specialized theological libraries and religious collections. Morris Hounion, New York City Coll. of Technology, CUNY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.Network Review, Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network, Winter 2004 -
Hourihan does us a great service by showing us the true religiousness of Whitman, set against the American Romanticism of Transcendentalism. Hourihan has an invaluable background in Indian spirituality which allows Whitman's mysticism to emerge, free as it is from what Whitman called 'ecclesiasticism.' ...Any work on Thoreau and Whitman that explores their spirituality is welcome, but it is particularly so when it comes from an author with a doctorate in Western literature.