Thirteen years to capture one man's soul — and you're still scrolling TikTok.
“…this documentary capturing important aspects of Thoreau’s life and writings is highly recommended.” Video Librarian, May 2018 Made over the course of 13 years, Henry David Thoreau: Surveyor of the Soul tells the story of Thoreau in his time and the story of the impact Thoreau’s writings and lifestyle have in our time. Surveyor of the Soul has interviews and commentary by: Laura Dassow Walls (author, Henry David Thoreau: A Life), Bill McKibben, Howard Zinn, Richard Primack, Megan Marshall, Rep. John Lewis, Robert Bly, Wai Chee Dimock, Spencer Crew, Darren Ranco (Penobscot), Rochelle Johnson, and more. “If you are not yet a Thoreau enthusiast, this beautiful, engrossing documentary just might turn you into one. If you already are, it will remind you of the many reasons why.” Lucille Stott, Appalachia, Winter/Spring 2019
Direction
Huey's 13-year devotion mirrors Thoreau's own patience.
Writing
John Lewis and Howard Zinn lend activist fire to 19th-century prose.
Director
Huey
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Huey never intended a 13-year production; funding gaps and seasonal filming at Walden Pond stretched the timeline organically.
Rep. John Lewis recorded his interview months before his 2020 death, making his connection between Thoreau's disobedience and the Civil Rights Movement one of his final public statements on nonviolent resistance.
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