Desert Solitaire cover art

Desert Solitaire

A Season in the Wilderness

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Desert Solitaire

By: Edward Abbey
Narrated by: Michael Kramer
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About this listen

When Desert Solitaire was first published in 1968, it became the focus of a nationwide cult. Rude and sensitive. Thought-provoking and mystical. Angry and loving. Both Abbey and this book are all of these and more. Here, the legendary author of The Monkey Wrench Gang, Abbey's Road and many other critically acclaimed books vividly captures the essence of his life during three seasons as a park ranger in southeastern Utah. This is a rare view of a quest to experience nature in its purest form -- the silence, the struggle, the overwhelming beauty. But this is also the gripping, anguished cry of a man of character who challenges the growing exploitation of the wilderness by oil and mining interests, as well as by the tourist industry.

Abbey's observations and challenges remain as relevant now as the day he wrote them. Today, Desert Solitaire asks if any of our incalculable natural treasures can be saved before the bulldozers strike again.

©1968 Edward Abbey (P)2011 Tantor Ecosystems & Habitats Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science

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Critic reviews

"Like a ride on a bucking bronco . . . rough, tough, combative. The author is a rebel and an eloquent loner. His is a passionately felt, deeply poetic book . . . set down in a lean, racing prose, in a close-knit style of power and beauty." ( The New York Times Book Review)
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Most relevant  
excellent recollections, I enjoyed abbey's style and delivery.as good today as it was 40 years ago.shame he didn't more on the same subject. Thanks for the ride.

edward abbey great

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Great writing beautifully read. A breath of fresh air in desperate times. Fuck em all!

We miss you Ed.

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A timeless book describing the deserts of Utah in the 1960’s. It brings to life the deserts of the south west USA. A recommended read for anybody interested in the outdoors or natural history.

An outdoor classic

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I have been dreaming about canyons when I was reading this book. It took me out on a journey there into Utah, so far away from Europe (Warsaw, Poland and London, UK where I live) Absolutely marvellous. I hope I can find something else like this.

I have been dreaming about canyons when

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So well narrated to give such a good atmosphere to a tale of being solitary in the desert, spoilt by him taking beer, tabacco, and a generator. Never a man made sound and then a generator !! ?

I spend time solitary in the Sahara no generator, no beer, no tabacco just really enjoying the empty starkness of a red desert through all it's moods and changes. There is probably a shot from satellite of me doing naked tai chi at dawn somewhere. This author seems to have a totally different idea of being alone in the desert is. Perhaps I need to write a book about my "Desert Solitude".

DNF

The generator did it for me

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Though I'm British I have had lots of trips to deserts of the South Western United States. Indeed, across the world. This book tries to capture the essence of the desert wilderness experience....It tries a bit too hard, to try to show the reader how much smarter than us, the Author is...... Odd but enjoyable.

I know it's a classic essay but....

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Very disappointing. Constant whining from a self-identified sociopath ( that doesn’t make it more acceptable ) a man who took a job involving dealing with tourists but seems to want to be paid to enjoy an undisturbed holiday in a National Park. Travel elitism at its worst.

A nine hour moan

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