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MWCC Humanities Project: Being Henry David Book Discussion

MWCC’s year-long study of Henry David Thoreau continues for the spring semester with a book discussion on Cal Armistead’s “Being Henry David,” on Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Gardner campus.

In Armistead’s debut novel about a teen in search of himself, 17-year-old “Hank” lands at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything–who he is, where he came from or why he’s running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David – or “Hank” – and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of–Walden Pond in Concord, Mass.  As Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past, he realizes that the only way he can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past to stop running and find his way home.