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A Voice Crying in the Wilderness: Vox Clamantis in Deserto: Notes from a Secret Journal
Di Edward Abbey
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Thoughts on nature, politics, love, and much more—from the environmentalist and author of such classics as Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang.
Finished just two weeks before his death, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness is a collection of Edward Abbey’s observations, both bitingly witty and inspirational, on a wide range of topics—from philosophy and writing to music, money, sex, and sports.
Abbey chose each passage himself from his own journals and previous writings—and warns us in his typical humorous style that some of the notes “may be unconscious plagiarisms from the great and dead (never steal from the living and mediocre).”
Abbey’s last wish was to be buried in an unmarked grave somewhere out in the vast desert he loved so much. This book is an enduring signal from that desert, through the words of one of the singular American thinkers of our times.
Finished just two weeks before his death, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness is a collection of Edward Abbey’s observations, both bitingly witty and inspirational, on a wide range of topics—from philosophy and writing to music, money, sex, and sports.
Abbey chose each passage himself from his own journals and previous writings—and warns us in his typical humorous style that some of the notes “may be unconscious plagiarisms from the great and dead (never steal from the living and mediocre).”
Abbey’s last wish was to be buried in an unmarked grave somewhere out in the vast desert he loved so much. This book is an enduring signal from that desert, through the words of one of the singular American thinkers of our times.
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereInformazioni sul libro
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness: Vox Clamantis in Deserto: Notes from a Secret Journal
Di Edward Abbey
Descrizione
Thoughts on nature, politics, love, and much more—from the environmentalist and author of such classics as Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang.
Finished just two weeks before his death, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness is a collection of Edward Abbey’s observations, both bitingly witty and inspirational, on a wide range of topics—from philosophy and writing to music, money, sex, and sports.
Abbey chose each passage himself from his own journals and previous writings—and warns us in his typical humorous style that some of the notes “may be unconscious plagiarisms from the great and dead (never steal from the living and mediocre).”
Abbey’s last wish was to be buried in an unmarked grave somewhere out in the vast desert he loved so much. This book is an enduring signal from that desert, through the words of one of the singular American thinkers of our times.
Finished just two weeks before his death, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness is a collection of Edward Abbey’s observations, both bitingly witty and inspirational, on a wide range of topics—from philosophy and writing to music, money, sex, and sports.
Abbey chose each passage himself from his own journals and previous writings—and warns us in his typical humorous style that some of the notes “may be unconscious plagiarisms from the great and dead (never steal from the living and mediocre).”
Abbey’s last wish was to be buried in an unmarked grave somewhere out in the vast desert he loved so much. This book is an enduring signal from that desert, through the words of one of the singular American thinkers of our times.
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Recensioni
An aphorism is to an essay as a haiku is to a sonnet. It delivers the message in as few words as possible. Edward Abbey (1927-1989) was a master of these one-sentence essays. Even in his longer work, acclaimed books like “Desert Solitaire,” readers might be tempted to underline choice sentences here and there, those clever statements that pack a punch in very few words.Just before his death, Abbey compiled many of his best one-liners into the book “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness.” Some of those one-liners were probably written on his death bed just for this book. Reading them, one can switch moods in an instant, from laughter to anger (with Abbey or at him, as the case may be), from compassion to resolve.They are a mixed lot, even when divided by category. Some examples:On government and politics: "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government."On education: "The best thing about graduating from the university was that I finally had time to sit on a log and read a good book."On music: "Music clouds the intellect but clarifies the heart."On women: "Girls, like flowers, bloom but once. But once is enough."Abbey is best remembered for his ruthless defense of the natural world, especially the American desert (which helps explains the title of the book). Many of his aphorisms touch on this subject, although they may sometimes seem contradictory, such as: "Nature, like Maimonides said, is mainly a good place to throw beer cans on Sunday afternoons." More characteristic is this one: "If wilderness is outlawed, only outlaws can save wilderness." Or this one: "Phoenix, Arizona: an oasis of ugliness in the midst of a beautiful wasteland."This may be the best Edward Abbey book I've read. It packs a lifetime of thought into barely a hundred pages.
It is time for America to rediscover Edward Abbey. If you only know him from The Monkey Wrench Gang, and you liked it, the little collection of his sayings, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness, will give you an insight to Abbey’s inner workings. While he does not have the body of work left by Mark Twain, some of the sayings are just as pity as anything Twain penned.Since it is a collection of sayings, you don’t need to read it in a linear order. In fact, it may be better not to. It is often enjoyable to just open to any page at random and read whatever your eye falls on. You could almost develop a cult based on daily readings from this book. Not quite Mao’s Red Book, but you get the idea.This book is best enjoyed sitting in the shade of your front porch, or under a shady tree, with a cold one in one hand and some good company by your other hand. If you’re easily offended, too late: you shouldn’t have even read this review.
The best sayings of Edward Abbey - and some that weren't so good - collected together in a short, readable book that can serve as a valuable reference for anyone who wants something pithy to answer the next time they're confronted with an anti-environmental heckler.