Henry David Thoreau - Walden. Waded into Ralph Waldo Emerson (Essential Writings of) for a second time, but wow, does that guy ever like to ramble! Seems like you can read the first couple sentences of each chapter, and then skip about 15 pages, and never miss a beat. Actually, he kind of makes me angry in a way, like he's trying to impress the reader with his superior intellect (which doesn't sit particularly well with me). Thoreau is much more down to Earth, and enjoyable to read. Interesting perspectives.