Project Gutenberg 2006-05-12 Public domain in the USA. 342 Van Dyke, Henry 1852 1933 Dyke, Henry Van Dyke, Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Henry I. Van Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness Prelude -- Little rivers -- A leaf of spearmint -- Ampersand -- A handful of heather -- The ristigouche from a horse-yacht -- Alpenrosen and goat's milk -- Au large -- Trout-fishing in the Traun -- At the sign of the balsam bough -- A song after sundown -- The wood-notes of the veery. Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger "Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness" by Henry Van Dyke is a collection of reflective essays written during the late 19th century. The book explores themes of nature, leisure, and the simple joys of life, particularly focusing on the serene beauty and companionship offered by little rivers. Through eloquent prose, Van Dyke articulates a philosophy of idleness—advocating for a restorative connection with nature that transcends the bustle of daily life. The opening of the book introduces a tone of yearning and appreciation for the natural world, framed by the author’s nostalgic desire to escape to a simpler, more peaceful existence defined by rivers and their tranquil surroundings. Van Dyke vividly describes the river as a nurturing companion that brings forth joyful experiences and interactions with both nature and fellow beings, emphasizing the importance of taking time to leisurely appreciate the beauty of small streams. Through poetic imagery, he conveys his wish to wander alongside rivers, evoking a sense of calm and a rekindled connection with the soothing flow of nature. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 71.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Fishing Outdoor life American essays PS Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: Nature/Gardening/Animals 391990 2025-08-01T10:11:50.970152 text/html 386180 2013-01-17T09:28:10 text/html; charset=us-ascii 146448 2016-01-02T10:36:00 text/html; charset=us-ascii application/zip 236420 2025-08-01T10:11:58.939142 application/epub+zip 241790 2025-08-01T10:11:54.619151 application/epub+zip 212855 2025-08-01T10:11:53.272180 application/epub+zip 479951 2025-08-01T10:12:02.211131 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 461510 2025-08-01T10:11:58.096134 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 324861 2022-09-01T11:24:26.625485 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 347985 2025-08-01T10:11:50.570221 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 347764 2006-05-12T08:14:04 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 141088 2016-01-02T10:36:00 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 19118 2025-08-01T10:12:02.348107 application/rdf+xml 21277 2025-08-01T10:11:53.891153 image/jpeg 4540 2025-08-01T10:11:53.614151 image/jpeg 232871 2025-08-01T10:11:51.008151 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia