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.Desert Solitaire

by: Edward Abbey

January 15, 1990
Sure, this book may speak strongly for the respect and preservation of the desert southwest, and for that, it deserves proper credit.

But for me, it has had a much deeper impact. This is a lot more than just an argument that we should protect our wilderness, although it is easily that. Rather, I found it to be a profound guide on how to think and act in general, about pretty much everything, everywhere.

This is one of the greatest books of the American twentieth century, a true classic, and everyone pondering how to think about and evaluate everything these days could surely benefit by reading it carefully.
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.The Monkey Wrench Gang (P.S.)

by: Edward Abbey

December 12, 2006
This novel is a great companion to a Four Corners vacation. You can visit all the places that Edward Abbey's tale of eco-mayhem takes his characters and, if you're intrepid, get in some challenging hikes. Even though Abbey is having fun here, the novel sizzles with his righteous indignation about the inroads of construction and exploitation on the desert wilderness.

I loved his characters--nurse Bonnie Abbzug (a tribute to Bella?), surgeon Doc Sarvis, the many-wived Seldom Seen Smith, and deranged Vietnam vet George Hayduke. Pursued by their nemesis the (Mormon) Bishop of Blanding, Mike Love, they're a little like Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters with moral intent.

The new paperback with an intro by historian Douglas Brinkley ... Read More:
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.The Journey Home (Plume)

by: Edward Abbey

January 30, 1991
As usual Abbey was brilliant. It was one of the best novels I ever read.
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.The Fool's Progress: An Honest Novel

by: Edward Abbey

August 15, 1998
I honestly preferred Monkey Wrench and Desert Solitaire but this is worth a read. It's a thinkpiece and gives you a little insight into the author. Wonderful imagery with honest to goodness hills and valleys.The Monkey Wrench Gang (P.S.)Desert SolitaireConfessions of a Barbarian: Selections from the Journals of Edward Abbey
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.Hayduke Lives!: A Novel

by: Edward Abbey

September 04, 1991
Damn fine novel. A comabtive and comic work from the "Desert Anarchist". Find out where all that "Hayduke Lives!" grafiti is coming from.
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.Down the River (Plume)

by: Edward Abbey

January 30, 1991
I have read many of Abbey's non-fiction books, but I don't think any of them matches the coherence (as in theme) and consistency (as in quality) of Desert Solitaire. Abbey himself thinks "Down the River" is better than Desert Solitaire, but I think otherwise. A recurring problem with Abbey's later books is that they are collections of his essays written over a span of years, some already published in other magazines and books, this rather makes them disjointed, and the quality of the essays sometimes vary a great degree too.

Nevertheless, the first essay in this book, "Down the River with Henry Thoreau" is one of my favorite of Abbey's writing. It weaves a river rafting journey with a review of Thoreau's life and work, the format is quite original (although I suspect ... Read More:
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.Brave Cowboy

by: Edward Abbey

April 01, 1992
This book has been in my bookcase for sometime and I am not clear where it came from. Perhaps a Christmas present. Perhaps an impulse purchase as I enjoy this author, even though we are politically poles apart.

Regardless, I noticed it a few days ago and started reading it and was once again immersed in Edward Abbey's view of life from fifty-two years ago.

Jack Burn's and Paul Bondi are friends that go way back although they have drifted apart. Burn's rides back into the Bondi's life on the back of a fractious young horse he has named Whiskey only to find that his friend is in the County Jail awaiting transfer to a federal penitentary for failing to register for the draft.

Burns has an idea that if he can get into the jail, he can break his friend ... Read More:
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.Fire on the Mountain

by: Edward Abbey

April 01, 1992
In the fictional "Fire on the Mountain," published in 1962, it's pretty clear that Edward Abbey's ideas about individual liberty and wilderness preservation are pretty well developed, but not yet completely evolved. That philosophical evolution comes to it's glorious apex in "The Monkeywrench Gang," a dozen or so years down the road, but nevertheless, "Fire on the Mountain," is vintage Abbey of his "Desert Solitaire" period and well worth reading.

The way I read Abbey, it's clear he inserts himself into his fictional characters. Fire on the Mountain is no exception and you can see Abbey in all three of the heroes of the book. The book itself is about an aging, but very spirited and independent small rancher, John Vogelin, who's ranch property in New Mexico unfortunately butts up against ... Read More:
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.Good News: A Novel (Plume)

by: Edward Abbey

January 30, 1991
Abbey is at his doomsday best with this tale that leaves a glimmer of hope that we can yet save ourselves. Say what what you want about Abbey (narcissistic, sexist, moody), the guy could write! He was also ahead of his time in his warnings about our abuse of the environment!
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.One Life at a Time, Please

by: Edward Abbey

February 15, 1988
Edward Abbey's curmudgeonly persona permeates this collection of essays organized by topic (politics, travel, books and art and nature love). This is one of Abbey's later books, a mish-mash of essays, magazine articles and book prefaces, and it has a disjointed feel.

When Abbey describes a journey, like his description of a houseboat trip on Lake Powell, he is magical. When he decides to be political or critical, when the desert rat Abbey comes to fore, he just comes off as too ranting, too artful, trying to hard to be clever and angry at the same time. This is always Abbey, or, I could argue, any artist, at their worst -- when they become so self conscious of their persona that they have to pander to it to maintain the illusion of it. That's at least how Abbey comes off to me in the rantings in ... Read More:
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