Edward Abbey

To kick off my new section in which I select various authors, books, films, philosophies and music to discuss I'd like to select a personal favorite and hero of mine: Edward Abbey. Ed Abbey was known throughout his life as an extremist; for this he was dually grateful. But what Ed Abbey contributed to literature and environmentalist went well beyond his legendary truculence and cynicism. Ed Abbey in addition was a very talented and original author. From his non-fiction works such as the seminal "Desert Solitaire" to "The Journey Home" Ed Abbey mixed ruminations on politics, religion and of course the environment.

Ed Abbey wasn't the kind of environmentalist seen today: tough, austere, in-your-face and sometimes grating; in fact he was a throwback. Considered by some to be the modern equivalent of Henry David Thoreau, Abbey was a doctorate in psychology and mixed in many humorous quotes on the subject. Ed Abbey also wrote some interesting works of fiction with his most famous work "The Monkey Wrench Gang" landing him into the hearts of many Westerners as well as in the files of the FBI. He was uncompromising in style and principle, Ed even beat the shit out of his own pickup truck to remove the comforts and trappings of the automobile. He really walked the walk; in fact when he died he asked to be placed into his sleeping bag, carted in the back of a truck, burned and sprinkled over the nature he so loved.

So while being labeled a fan of his work and parts of his mission at one point would get one labeled, Abbey resisted being grouped into any "ism"; he disliked them all. So as this, the 20th year anniversary of his death comes to a close I'd like anyone who reads this to remember the man and possibly, read a bit of what he wrote.