Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire

Writers about Edward Abbey seem to be stuck on the same page of the thesaurus: eccentric, irascible, rebellious, curmudgeonly, angry, misanthropic, inspiration for environmental extremists, liable to say anything for shock value, prickly as a cactus, etc. etc. But he loved the desert and wrote eloquently about it, most memorably in his first book Desert Solitaire. He was a gifted writer and thinker and the desert lives and breathes in his descriptions and explorations of the canyon country of southern Utah. A great escape from a freezing winter day in Ohio.

His summer job as a park ranger gave him access to the unspoiled, undeveloped desert around Arches National Monument. (Later National Park.) He despised the "Industrial Tourism" he saw closing in on his desert and all wilderness places. Maybe it's just as well we can't hear his opinion of Moab now with its motels, river expeditions, jeep tours of the desert, and all the other trappings he dreaded. He knew the irony that his writings inspired people to come and see the spectacular scenery he brought to life.

To learn more start with the Edward Abbey Foundation www.edwardabbeyfoundation.org and Arches National Park www.nps.gov/arch/ especially the photo galleries and go from there. For contrast, or for travel planning, try www.discovermoab.com.

One final suggestion, have a good detailed map of the area beside you while you read. Getting lost in the desert is serious business.

Any other readers with reactions to Abbey's book?