On November 5, Taylor’s Honors Guild, English & Modern Languages Department, and Art, Film & Media Department will host the Ewers Brothers for a screening of their PBS series Henry David Thoreau, with a question-and-answer panel to follow.
"It is an honor to have filmmakers of this caliber on campus sharing work executive produced by leading American documentarian Ken Burns," said Kathy Bruner, Co-Chair and Professor of Film & Media Arts. Along with the screening, Erik Ewers and Christopher Ewers will be involved in class visits and meals with faculty and students. "As faculty, we eagerly embraced the opportunity for our students to engage with this production," said Dr. Carie King, English & Modern Languages Department Chair.
From November 5 through November 6, Taylor will host the Ewers Brothers to screen their series, discuss the series’ themes, and offer insight into the production process.
Henry David Thoreau premiered in March 2026 on PBS as three episodes with a total running time of roughly three hours. The episodes follow the life and impact of Henry David Thoreau, an American essayist during the mid-1800s, who famously advocated for the idea of civil disobedience against an unjust state.
The series stars George Clooney as the narrator, and Jeff Goldblum lends his talent to voice the titular historical figure. The three episodes detail different seasons of Thoreau’s life. The first is titled “Who are We?” and follows Thoreau's early life. It explores not only his graduation from Harvard but also his building of his house on Walden Pond where he famously lived while drafting one of his most famous works, Walden.
The second episode, titled “Being Alive,” follows his time as a writer at Walden Pond as well as his civil disobedience. Thoreau famously spent a night in jail after refusing to pay his taxes in protest of the Mexican-American War.
The final episode is titled “Several More Lives to Live” and follows the impact of Thoreau on society as both an author and an abolitionist. It brings the series to a satisfying conclusion that reflects his legacy.
The two-day event will serve as an informative and enriching opportunity for different departments to come together over a shared love of learning. Students will reflect on the impact of an American author who stood for what he believed and talk with the team who brought his story to life.
