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Ken Lizotte, CEO of Emerson Consulting Group, to Release His Next Book, Walden for Hire, With AMACOM on February 10, 2026

via Business Wire

Henry David Thoreau: Transcendentalist and creator of the #2 pencil.

Forgotten stories of Thoreau’s innovative business acumen offer timeless lessons for today’s independent thinkers, entrepreneurs, and unconventional professionals.

Ken Lizotte, Founder/CEO of Emerson Consulting Group Inc and president emeritus of the Board of Trustees at Thoreau Farm, will release his latest book, Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau, with AMACOM on February 10, 2026.

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Courtesy of AMACOM, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus.

Courtesy of AMACOM, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus.

Walden for Hire offers an in-depth look at Henry David Thoreau’s innovative thinking and business achievement, re-discovering America’s pre-eminent independent thinker as a source of inspiration and guidance for today’s business leaders.

“I'd been board chair at Henry's Concord birth house (Thoreau Farm) for over 10 years while my ‘day job’ helped business experts become published authors and thought leaders,” Lizotte said. “One day a light went off in my head! Why not a write a book focusing on Henry's business acumen! It had never been done before.”

Best known for Transcendentalism and Walden, Henry David Thoreau has come to be defined primarily through the lenses of writer, environmentalist, and thinker—but a deeper look into his life reveals Thoreau as a creative and eclectic thought leader with contributions in the business arena that are as profound as his impact in other disciplines.

When opportunities arose in his professional life, Thoreau not only proved himself more than capable at just about anything he put his mind to—from innovations in farming and science to pencil manufacturing and public speaking—and he did things in ways that were inventive and unconventional, often yielding highly successful results.

Tim Burgard, executive editor of AMACOM and HarperCollins Leadership, said, “There is so much to learn from Henry David Thoreau as a thinker and innovator that is often overlooked by contemporaries. I was astounded when I received Ken’s proposal to learn about Henry the inventor, scientist, and entrepreneur and how these elements of his life came from his natural curiosity and desire to live deliberately. Ken thoughtfully distills these elements in Walden for Hire making them accessible and inspiring to modern readers.”

“This book is for Thoreau fans who can't get enough of Henry, especially some aspect of him that's new,” said Lizotte. “It’s also for the business practitioner who strives to keep improving their business skills and practices.”

In contrast to today’s social media influencers, “hustle culture,” and corporate mantras, Thoreau’s life and writing provide timeless wisdom for how professionals today can work deliberately as Thoreau did, with an approach to business that combines expertise and precision with ethics and purposefulness.

Walden for Hire will be available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. You can pre-order today at: https://www.amazon.com/Walden-Hire-Business-Lessons-Thoreau/dp/1400253837.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ken Lizotte CMC, president emeritus of the Board of Trustees at Thoreau Farm and CEO of Emerson Consulting Group Inc., has transformed over 450 business experts, professional service firms, private companies, and nonprofit organizations into “recognized thought leaders” since founding his firm in 1996. Author of eight previous books, Ken has also been a regular columnist for HuffPost, Money Inc., the American Management Association, and Boston Magazine. He is co-founder of the National Writers Union, graduate of Alan Weiss’s Million Dollar Consulting College, and an active national board member and chapter president of the Institute of Management Consulting. He resides in Concord, Massachusetts with his family, a short three-mile run to Walden Pond and back again.

ABOUT AMACOM:

Originally published by the American Management Association International (AMA), AMACOM became a sub-imprint of HarperCollins Leadership in 2018. AMACOM provides practical resources for specialized skills like HR, sales, project management, and many more, as well as general career and management advice to help you succeed at work and grow in your career.

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