The Introduction to this book, which is considered his best collection of works ever, calls him "the American Confucius." Other compilations exist, but this is the only one that includes an Index by Subject, found at the beginning. This is also the way the information appears in the book. A more detailed 30 page Index appears in the back, referred to as a Key-Word Concordance, so that anyone wishing to find a certain subject can go straight to it. This is a must book for anyone seeking knowledge on a variety of important subjects or in finding the definitive "best works" version of Ralph Waldo Emerson.