Edward Abbey

Desert Solitaire

1. IDEA 1

   The desert gave him meaning

   Abbey recalls his seasons as a park ranger at Arches National Monument in Utah during the 1950s. He describes the desert's beauty and his deep love for wild places. The book grew out of that time.

2. IDEA 2

   The desert has its own beauty

   Abbey describes the rocks, plants and animals of the canyon country with vivid detail. In his account, the strange shapes and harsh climate of the desert have a beauty that is easy to overlook.

3. IDEA 3

   Tourism threatens parks

   Abbey criticises industrial tourism, the push to build roads and facilities so more people can visit parks by car. In his view, such building changes the character of wild places and makes them feel more like entertainment parks than natural ones.

All 8 ideas from Desert Solitaire →