Literary Movement Reading Challenge 2015 – May: Transcendentalism (1830 – 1860)

The adherents to Transcendentalism believed that knowledge could be arrived at not just through the senses, but through intuition and contemplation of the internal spirit. As such, they professed skepticism of all established religions, believing that Divinity resided in the individual. According to them, society and its institutions—particularly organized religion and political parties—ultimately corrupt the purity of the individual. They have faith that people are at their best when truly "self-reliant" and independent. Transcendentalists also believed that humans should pay more attention to their inner beings rather than superficial things like wealth, status, etc. [Source 1] [Source 2]

Some of the Transcendentalist authors:

(you may pick other authors outside this list)

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Henry David Thoreau

Margaret Fuller

Amos Bronson Alcott

Louisa May Alcott

Emily Dickinson

You can submit your review posts on Transcendentalism books in the linky below.