I’m not sure how it took me so long to discover Edward Abbey. Now, I feel like every environmentally-related college class should include some of his work in their required reading. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t rush to classify Abbey’s work as scholastic as much as I’d categorize it as fun, fast-paced, opinionated, and full of amazing storytelling.

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey is nothing short of a powerhouse. Set in a time when the development of America’s National Parks was still very much in its infancy, Abbey chronicles his time as a Park Ranger at Arches National Monument (now Arches National Park), where he spent much of his time meandering through the desert canyons alone.

In this review, I hope to impart some of the major ideas that I took away from this book without giving away all the nuggets of genius packed into its pages. Let’s jump in, as Abbey would undoubtedly proceed!

Capturing Nature is a Fool’s Errand

Don’t get me wrong. I love reading flowery descriptions of natural settings and looking back on photos I’ve taken during past backpacking trips. But it’s still impossible to capture the beauty and essence of Nature in words or photographs. Abbey did his best, but he also acknowledged the impossibility of capturing a force that often feels far beyond our understanding.

This quote exemplifies his feelings nicely:

“Language makes a mighty loose net with which to go fishing for simple facts, when facts are infinite.”

Parks Should Be ‘Experienced’, Not Just ‘Seen’

One of the major themes throughout Desert Solitaire is Abbey’s frustration with visitors to Arches National Monument. He laments the lack of opportunity for a real connection to Nature with the way in which most visitors see the park. On multiple occasions, he points out the importance of spending a significant amount of time in the park in order to slow down, detach from the pace of modern life, and to truly experience all that the park has to offer.

He vents his frustration numerous times, but this is one of my favorite of his outbursts:

“In the first place you can’t see anything from a car; you’ve got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the thornbush and cactus. When traces of blood begin to mark your trail you’ll see something, maybe. Probably not.”

Nature is Essential to Maintain Balance

The earliest proponents of the National Park system were driven to advocate for the designation of wilderness areas and national forests because our nation was developing at a fever pace. Today, development continues but we are certainly more conscious of how our actions impact the planet for future generations. Abbey, like many of his contemporaries, felt strongly that time in nature is vital to our health, wellness, and a balanced lifestyle.

He explains this feeling here:

“A weird, lovely, fantastic object out of nature like Delicate Arch has the curious ability to remind us–like rock and sunlight and wind and wilderness–that out there is a different world, older and greater and deeper by far than ours, a world which surrounds and sustains the little world of men as sea and sky surround and sustain a ship. The shock of the real. For a little while, we are again able to see, as the child sees, a world of marvels. For a few moments we discover that nothing can be taken for granted, for if this ring of stone is marvelous then all which shaped it is marvelous, and our journey here on earth, able to see and touch and hear in the midst of tangible and mysterious things-in-themselves, is the most strange and daring of all adventures.”

We Need Our Space!

It makes sense to me that people traditionally congregated in city centers where access to critical goods, services, and workplaces were relatively close at hand. What also makes sense to me is that, with the advent of the Internet, we will naturally begin to move away from these city centers and explore all the land and space that this great country has to offer.

Decentralization can, and arguably must happen if we are to return to a more sustainable existence on this planet. Judging from this quote, I believe Abbey would more than agree if he were still alive today:

“At what distance should good neighbors build their houses? Let it be determined by the community’s mode of travel: if by foot, four miles; if by horseback, eight miles; if by motorcar, twenty-four miles; if by airplane, ninety-six miles.”

Joy is a Survival Technique

When we think of survival, we think of food, water, and shelter, among other things. But in many survival stories, there is also this inexplicable, undeniable, intangible factor. Call it the will to live. Call it the fear of leaving loved ones behind. Call it a deep love for this world.

I think all of these things can be attributed to the survival of one lucky soul or another. But when it comes to our survival in daily life, in the often-monotonous existences we lead, in the rigors and unfavorable worries of modern society, finding joy in the mundane and in the little miracles of every day is a survival technique that cannot be ignored.

I think Abbey might agree:

“Has joy any survival value in the operations of evolution? I suspect that it does; I suspect that the morose and fearful are doomed to quick extinction. Where there is no joy there can be no courage; and without courage all other virtues are useless.”

Remaining joyful is a practice. It can be a skill in a world that sometimes throws many more reasons NOT to be joyful at us than it does the opposite. But our lives will revolve around that which we focus on. I’m a firm believer that our mentality creates our reality. Call it cliche. Call it cheesy. But I find that many things become “cliche” because they are true. And truth, my friends, is hard to ignore!

Let’s Connect! Tell Me What You Think!

Any nature lover and proponent of national parks will love Abbey’s style and character in Desert Solitaire. And, indeed, I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether you’ve experienced Abbey in the past or not!

If you liked what you read, didn’t like what you read, or have questions about what you read, I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below if you are inspired, perplexed, saddened, or angered by any of the ideas presented above. I welcome any and all comments and will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

I’d also encourage you to share this review with others if you found it particularly insightful or helpful. Be sure to tag @ballisterwriting on Facebook or Instagram if you do! The point of social media, after all, is to be SOCIAL! I don’t need followers or likes, but I’d like to contribute to a real conversation about how we continue to improve as a society and as individuals

Thanks for your support!

Tucker Ballister

tucker@ballisterwriting.com

 

 

 

 

Most of you have probably seen the movie. Some of you may have already read the book that the movie was based on. I’ll admit Johnny Depp did a masterful job in the movie and I sometimes have a hard time imagining how Hunter S. Thompson actually was in real life. But Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is about much more than drugs, gambling, and depravity.

Thompson hooks the reader from the very start. His first sentence reads: “We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.” How, I ask, can you not be curious where this is going to go?

As with many movies based on books, it’s hard to fully capture the full breadth of Thompson and Dr. Gonzo’s experience in Vegas during the Mint 400 motorcycle race. Of course, Thompson’s actual time spent reporting on the race was quite minimal in the grand scheme. My goal in this review is to pull a few resonant themes out and provide a useful synopsis for anyone interested in reading the book for themselves. So here it goes!

Theme 1: The Duty is to The Story, Or To Create a Better One!

Through his writing, Thompson certainly doesn’t seem like a man who had trouble creating a story if the one he was initially being paid to report on wasn’t particularly interesting to him. He was commissioned to cover the Mint 400, but this book, and the trip it is based upon became about much more than that.

Early on, Hunter states, “…I was, after all, a professional journalist; so I had an obligation to cover the story, for good or ill.” However, Thompson spends only one chapter, a mere six pages, of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas actually reporting on the events of the Mint 400.

His opinion of the race is nicely summarized in this quote: “They roared off, and so did we. Bouncing across the rocks and scrub oak/cactus like iron tumbleweeds. The beer in my hand flew up and hit the top, then fell in my lap and soaked my crotch with warm foam. “You’re fired,” I said to the driver. “Take me back to the pits.”

Despite a perceived lack of enthusiasm for his assignment, Thompson was able to turn his experience into one of his most popular books, which was eventually adapted into a blockbuster movie. So, I’m not sure if they teach this in journalism school, but my take away is, “Your duty should always be to the story, but if it’s a crappy story don’t be afraid to create a better one!”

Theme 2: Dealing with Traffic Cops Isn’t as Straightforward As You Think

After the conclusion of the Mint 400, Thompson, aka Raoul Duke, receives an urgent telegram from his “attorney”, aka Dr. Gonzo. The telegram states that he should not leave Vegas and that he has a new assignment. The assignment is to cover the National Conference of District Attorneys. But Thompson doesn’t feel even close to a state where he could accept such an assignment so, instead, he gets in the car and rips towards Baker, California.

He then describes the proper way to deal with a traffic cop: “The thing to do–when you’re running along about a hundred or so and you suddenly find a red-flashing CHP-tracker on your trail–what you want to do then is accelerate. Never pull over with the first siren-howl . . . He will follow. But he won’t know what to make of your blinker signal that says you’re about to turn right . . . keep signaling and hope for an off-ramp, one of those uphill side-loops with a sign saying “Max Speed 25″ . . . and the trick, at this point, is to suddenly leave the freeway and take him into the chute at no less than a hundred miles an hour.”

Thompson continues, “He will lock his brakes about the same time you lock yours, but it will take him a moment to realize that he’s about to make a 180-degree turn at this speed . . . but you will be ready for it, braced for the Gs and the fast heel-toe work, and with any luck at all you will have come to a complete stop off the road at the top of the turn and be standing beside your automobile by the time he catches up.”

Now, I should be clear: I don’t advise this approach the next time you notice those flashing red lights in your rearview mirror. However, what Thompson suggests is that there is more than one way to deal with traffic cops. And that taking them for a bit of a joyride may actually be exactly what they’re hoping for when they catch a speeder.

Alas, Thompson lived in a different time with different rules. The social contract between citizens and law enforcement has changed. Roads are more crowded. Cops are, perhaps, a bit more serious. And we are certainly more sensitive to anyone causing “a public menace.”

Theme 3: Vegas Isn’t for the Faint of Heart . . . And Thompson Never Missed a Chance at a Political Dig

The bright lights, noise, and constant activity of Vegas aren’t for everyone. I’ve personally visited more as a young man than I have since I’ve come of legal drinking age. And I think I had more fun riding roller coasters, going to shows, and visiting museums as a kid than I did at pool parties and in clubs as an adult. It takes a special kind of party lover to handle Vegas and to keep going back for more.

Thompson summarizes this sentiment nicely toward the end of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, while also seizing an opportunity to take a shot at some of his despised contemporary political figures: “A little bit of this town goes a very long way. After five days in Vegas you feel like you’ve been here for five years. Some people say they like it–but then some people like Nixon, too. He would have made a perfect mayor for this town; with John Mitchell as Sheriff and Agnew as Master of Sewers.”

While I’m only historically familiar with the political climate of the time, I can’t help but enjoy Thompson’s brand of political satire. If you’re interested in more of that type of writing, as opposed to Thompson’s unique chronicles of his own debauchery, be sure to also check out Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72.

Theme 4: Some Days We Just Need to Stop and Think

Ok, I understand. This might be an unexpected theme to end with considering the wild journey we’ve been on through the first three-quarters of this review. While Thompson was certainly a proponent of experience over preservation and action over meditation, even he knew that on some days when things are falling our way, it’s best just to stop and watch the world go by.

He summarizes this nicely towards the conclusion: “Every now and then you run up on one of those days when everything’s in vain . . . a stone bummer from start to finish; and if you know what’s good for you, on days like these you sort of hunker down in a safe corner and watch.”

While it feels like a weird twist to conclude a post about Hunter S. Thompson by plugging meditation and wellness, I’m going to do it! Because Thompson himself, maybe more than anything else, was all about twists. His books keep you guessing and will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Sometimes you’ll have no idea where it’s going, but that’s a lot like life. You better just hang on and enjoy the journey.

But on that note, if you’re interested in health and wellness and/or meditation, please take some time to check out two of my favorite resources: CounterCulturist and the Wander Well Podcast. If you like what you hear and read there, be sure to give some props to the creators of those awesome sites!

Wanna Visit Hunter’s Old Digs?

Woody Creek, Colorado. That’s where Hunter S. Thompson lived out his final years. If you’re not actively looking for it, you’re not going to find it. But rest assured, it’s there! Located just off Highway 82 between Snowmass and Aspen, Woody Creek’s “downtown” is little more than the Woody Creek Tavern and the adjoining Community Center.

The tavern’s walls are lined with Polaroids of more than 30 years of visitors. If you look closely you’ll see photos of Thompson with Johnny Depp and a surprising number of other celebrities. You can also sit in the corner chair at the bar that Hunter would hold down regularly when he was still alive.

If you need to kill that hangover the next morning, head on over to the Community Center for coffee and a breakfast sandwich and if you’re hanging around for another day, you might get lucky to catch a yoga class there later in the day. I’ve also heard rumor of a recently opened distillery in town, so be sure to check that out too!

Let Me Know Your Thoughts!

If you liked what you read, didn’t like what you read, or have questions about what you read, I’d love to hear from you! Also, if you’ve read this selection already, I’d love to know your thoughts, feelings, and what you took away from it. Please leave a comment below if you are inspired, perplexed, saddened, or angered by any of the ideas presented above. I welcome any and all comments and will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

I’d also encourage you to share this review with others if you found it particularly insightful or helpful. Be sure to tag @ballisterwriting on Facebook or Instagram if you do! The point of social media, after all, is to be SOCIAL! I don’t need followers or likes, but I’d like to contribute to a real conversation about how we continue to improve as a society and as individuals

Thanks for your support!

Tucker Ballister

tucker@ballisterwriting.com

 

 

 

 

I first picked this book up in college. It was mandatory reading, but I have to say a huge thanks to the Recreation and Tourism Management program at San Diego State University for including this selection in our curriculum. As I moved through college, my desire to spend more time in nature was only heightened. A Conservationist Manifesto by Scott Russell Sanders included many of the thoughts I was trying to make sense of at the time and expanded on how we might improve our relationship with nature and, indeed, the Earth.

What I’d like to do in the course of this review is to identify several of the major themes I took away from Sanders’ writing and relate how I feel about them now, more than five years later. I’ll also include quotes directly from the book that relate to the themes I select so that the reader doesn’t have to bear solely with my droning writing style but may also get a sense for what they’ll find if they decide to get themselves a copy his Sanders’ work. So here goes nothing!

Theme 1: Modern Society Cuts Us Off From One Another

Cars, houses, cell phones, you name it. A community can be hard to find these days. It’s a primary reason why I love where I grew up because I know people, I am connected to the place, and there are many things be involved in. It’s a town of just 16,000 permanent residents and, yet, it can still be isolating. There are often times when it feels like we are all going about our individual “thing” and there’s no sense of collective engagement.

Sanders expresses his own frustration with the following quote:

“The whole structure of modern life — solitary viewing of screens, isolation in cars or cubicles, advertising’s emphasis on personal gratification — cuts us off from communal experiences and public concerns.”

We often don’t have a problem until a horrific tragedy strikes. Public concerns don’t become OUR concerns until they directly affect US. But how do we shift our values so that what matters to the community as a whole DOES matter to us individually?

I think it’s important for us to recognize that nothing occurs in a bubble. Science isolates niche concepts, eliminates variables, and pinpoints solutions for individual symptoms. Don’t get me wrong; we have learned much through our scientific methods, but we are just starting to realize that we must consider the Earth as a whole, and ourselves as humans as just one part of that whole.

The sustainability of our species and possibly of the Earth itself relies upon our acceptance of our place within the whole. And it relies upon solutions that benefit the health of the entire global community, rather than one segment or another.

Theme 2: The Value of Nature is Difficult to Quantify

We try to do this all the time. In measuring our ‘environmental impact’ on an area, we want to apply hard mathematics to derive an equation by which it makes sense for us to continue our development. If we knock down an acre of trees here, we can simply plant another acre somewhere else, right? Well, it doesn’t always work this way. And we are still very immature in our understanding of the true value of nature.

Sanders explains his view in this quote:

“Measured in board-feet, many an oak, maple, walnut, or hickory in these woods is worth as much as a new car. Measured by their historical significance, by their contribution to air and soil and wildlife, by their dignity and beauty, by their sheer scale of being, these trees are priceless.”

But progress must go on. Or so they say. We have mandated Environmental Impact Reports and mitigation strategies to offset our perceived negative effects on forests, lakes, streams, and rivers. This is a positive step. But just how much we’re losing as we continue to build and develop is hard to quantify. For me, nature has inherent value that equates to much more than board-feet of lumber or gallons of natural gas.

The diversity of life on our Earth is something that we should value more highly. The diversity of humans on this planet is something that should be more openly celebrated. Because, for me, the diversity of life on this planet is potentially one of the most reasons why this Earth can sustain life in the first place.

Theme 3: Continued Growth is Impossible

We have, in many ways, created an economic system in this country that relies upon continued, never-ending growth. Our economy is only considered healthy if it is a growing economy. But to have growth, always, forever, and without end, is impossible, is it not? In observing the cyclical nature of humanity’s development, why have we modeled so much of our lives around unending growth?

Sanders points out the difference between many man-made structures and the natural order in this quote:

“The model that nature provides is not one of perpetual growth, as in a capitalist economy, but of perpetual regrowth.”

Nature does not grow and grow and continue to grow without ceasing. Growth is followed by death, which is followed by decay, which is followed by rebirth, which is followed by what Sanders terms “regrowth.” In my eyes, then, a system that predicates its success on perpetual, unrelenting growth is an inherently unsustainable system.

Sustainability is the darling buzz word of 21st Century developers. But true sustainability accounts for this need for death, decay, and rebirth. In many cases, our systems will be rebuilt stronger than they were before. But we must be willing to let go of the notion that our first attempt will always be our best attempt.

Theme 4: Our Future Is Determined by Our Value System

This may not be a novel concept, but it’s one that rings true for me. What we place value on today is what we will manifest in our world tomorrow. If we place value on high technology, cell phones, video games, the development of long-range cruise missiles, improving life for only those that we feel are rightful citizens of this country, then this is precisely what we will manifest in our futures.

If we place greater value on personal relationships, health and wellness of both mind and body, and our interconnectedness with the natural world, we will manifest healthier people, healthier relationships, and a healthier connection with nature.

Sanders implores more of us to dive into conservation work, but not out of fear of losing this Earth’s wild places. He identifies the most important motivation one can have for environmental conservation in this quote:

“But the first impulse is love — love for wild and settled places, for animals and plants, for people living now and those yet to come, for the creations of human hands and minds.”

So Why Does This Book Matter?

A Conservationist Manifesto by Scott Russell Sanders matters because we continue to move away from a healthy relationship with nature every day in this country. This book matters because our lives depend on a healthy natural world. This book matters because we need to come to a greater appreciation for nature now before it is too late. This book matters because we can’t afford to follow in the infamous footsteps of the Once-ler from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.

So in bringing my thoughts to a close today, I’ll leave you with one question:

Will you speak for the trees?

Now Let Me Know What You Think!

If you liked what you read, didn’t like what you read, or have questions about what you read, I’d love to hear from you! Also, if you’ve read this selection already, I’d love to know your thoughts, feelings, and what you took away from it. Please leave a comment below if you are inspired, perplexed, saddened, or angered by any of the ideas presented above. I welcome any and all comments and will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.

I’d also encourage you to share this review with others if you found it particularly insightful or helpful. Be sure to tag @ballisterwriting on Facebook or Instagram if you do! The point of social media, after all, is to be SOCIAL! I don’t need followers or likes, but I’d like to contribute to a real conversation about how we continue to improve as a society and as individuals

Thanks for your support!

Tucker Ballister

tucker@ballisterwriting.com