Traces of Thoreau

The contemporary companion to Henry David Thoreau's classic Cape Cod.

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In Traces of Thoreau, Stephen Mulloney faithfully follows his 1849 walking tour from Orleans to Provincetown, vividly describing not only the differences between yesterday's Cape and today's but also their timeless similarities. In duplicating Thoreau's journey, Stephen Mulloney captures views of the Cape rarely seen by tourists and allows the reader to explore and contemplate the Great Outer Beach as if for the first time.
Mulloney's entertaining travelogue gives us nature by day -- with captivating descriptions of plants, animals, and geological features -- and civilization by night as he seeks food and lodging in beach communities swarming with visitors. Here one meets a delightful sampling of colorful Cape characters, from members of the cocktail set to Wellfleet oystermen encountered in a working-class bar.
Traces of Thoreau richly conveys the grandeur of beach and sky juxtaposed with fast food stands and miniature golf. It is a celebration of the bare beauty of the landscape and an invitation to share the meditations of a modern-day Thoreau who rediscovers the restorative powers of one of America's most scenic locales.