Desert solitaire
by Edward Abbey · first published 1968
71% recommend29% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Park-ranger memoir arguing for keeping wild places undeveloped and hard to reach, not paved over for drive-up tourism. Readers say it reshapes their view of nature, freedom and simple living; fits Thoreau fans.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A book about Edward Abbey's life as a park ranger in the American Southwest in the 1950's.
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…naturalist tale of trying to turn the desert green? What about a naturalist tale of keeping the desert as it is, and resisting the urge to destroy it for the supposed benefit of the humans? I recently read Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (highly recommended), and I'm reminded of the start of the ninth chapter: "This would be good country," a tourist says to me, "if only you had some water." He's from Cleveland, Ohio.…
on “Dune: Spice Wars” ↗Read "Industrial Tourism and the National Parks" by Edward Abbey in Desert Solitaire. His solution is as simple as making people get off their asses and walk or bike, etc, rather than the then-current trend of building paved roads and parking lots ever closer to the "attractions". There…
on “The scourge of Rec dot gov (2021)” ↗“Desert Solitaire” by Ed Abbey and “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn. Both are wildly different but explore the question of how different the other forms of life on this planet are from ours. “Are we smart enough to know how smart…
on “Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?” ↗For an interesting contrast to this sentiment, read Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. He is writing from a somewhat unique perspective from his position as a park ranger in Arches, way back in the 1930s when it was still mostly undeveloped. It's also a great book in general.
on “All U.S. National Parks Are Free to Enter on Sunday” ↗…Abbey has written extensively [0-1] on the inaccessibility and remoteness of the Grand Canyon. If I had to sum up his position on this topic, it might be "That's the point." [0] http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Solitaire-A-Season-Wilderness/d... [1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Monkey-Wrench-Gang-P-S/dp/00611297...
on “Who Can Save the Grand Canyon?” ↗Thanks for sharing...you've also reminded me that's it's been a while since I've read Ed Abbey's Desert Solitaire [1]. I think I may have to pull it off the shelf this weekend and dive in for another read. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Solitaire-Edward-Abbey/dp/0671...
on “The Benefits of Solitude” ↗…getting into conflicts with poachers, extractors, and rich asshole "rancher" and developers. This brings to mind Edward Abbey's book The Monkey Wrench Gang. I can't recommend his books enough, especially Desert Solitaire.
on “The fight over preserving public land takes a twist in Montana’s mountains” ↗If you have a thing for Lake Mead then you really need to read the Edward Abbey books Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang. Very beautiful part of the world and I am glad to see you have a passion for getting the maps right.
on “Show HN: A raytracer to shade topographic maps in R, Part 2” ↗There's a great book called Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey where he talks about the old national parks that were free, and where driving was banned. You had to hike/bike/horse your way in, and people came to spend long periods traveling through…
on “The end of dispersed camping?” ↗Looks like I might have to revisit the South West via words alone. Thanks for the recommend. Powell's book looks good too, with a touch of Shackleton grit to it. I too second Desert Solitaire as a must read, it is not a novel like Monkey Wrench Gang, it made me think again about values of freedom and what it is to be alive without having to suspend one's belief in a way that pure fiction demands.…
on “Message from Mexico: U.S. Is Polluting Water It May Someday Need to Drink” ↗Sapiens Desert Solitaire Meditations Walden Meditations Thinking Fast and Slow
on “Ask HN: What books have made the biggest impact on your mental models?” ↗A few fiction choices: * The Alchemist - the closest thing in my life to a religious text. Just a beautiful story that I can recall at any time for some calm. * Desert Solitaire - just read this recently and it gave me an entirely new outlook on the relationship between humans and nature. * Don Quixote - I was blown away by how a book that is ~600 years old could make me…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Edward Abbey - Desert Solitaire. There are plenty of good reads here already but for posterity I am going to add Edward Abbey to the list. His work is a primer on what freedom is really about rather than this 'freedom' word bandied…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire - captures the beauty and importance of our natural world. Reminds us we can live simply and the idiocracy of trashing our own planet. (often compared Thoreau's Walden - also a must read)
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗…Pollan's essay as part of a discussion about wilderness ethics and it has stuck with me for years. It can be found in his book, Second Nature. If you are still reading this comment, I would also recommend Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. It takes a more irascible approach to some of the ideas of wilderness ethics, but is is a damn-good, swashbuckling time.
on “Why We Wish for Wilderness” ↗