Self-Reliance

By: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Narrated by: Jim Killavey

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American philosopher, lecturer, essayist, and poet, who is best remembered for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was a a champion of individualism and wrote dozens of essays. Most criics consider "Self-Reliance" his best. It has the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's repeating themes, the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency. It also emphasized the need to follow one's own instincts and ideas. "Self-Reliance" contains one of Emerson's most famous quotes: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

Public Domain (P)2010 Jimcin Recordings

Great points but read to hastily to retain it.

Lots of great points, but it's read so fast that it's difficult to comprehend and retain it all even after a second listen.

Disappointing Performance

Self Reliance is one of my favorite essays. In this case, the meaning is often lost. Killavey enunciates clearly, but each word is given the same tonal value -- as if reading a list -- which results in inappropriate pauses (or lack of) and emphasis which makes the thoughts / ideas hard to follow. I'm disappointed...

Wonderful

If you could sum up Self-Reliance in three words, what would they be?

Wonderful rendition of one of my favorite essays.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Clear, concise, thoughtful

What about Jim Killavey’s performance did you like?

Did a great job.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole thing

Any additional comments?

Intend to listen to "Civil Disobedience" next. Hope it's the same reader.

Narrator didn't pronounce his Rs

I guess it's realistic because Emerson was a Bostonian, but it was really annoying that he said, for example, propahty instead of property. Really. It got annoying and hard to understand at times.
Text is obviously a classic of American literary thought.