The Black Rock Desert (Desert Places) [Paperback]

William L. Fox (Author), Mark Klett (Author)

Book Description

Series: Desert Places | Publication Date: June 12, 2002

It is the only absolute desert in North America, a four-hundred-square-mile dry lake bed so desolate that nothing ever grows there. Vast and featureless, Nevada's Black Rock Desert defies visual measurement—much to the consternation of off-roaders who venture out onto this playa only to run out of gas before reaching the other side. It is the largest flat area on the continent, where the sound barrier was broken in a car. And it is a place of total silence—not even birds or insects live here—except when thousands of humans congregate for the Burning Man Festival on Labor Day weekend. Writer and poet William Fox has demonstrated his familiarity with the Great Basin in such respected books as Mapping the Empty, just as Mark Klett has been documenting the landscape of the American West in his acclaimed photographic studies. Now these accomplished artists turn their combined talents to an appreciation of this desolate corner of North America, where the only change in scenery comes with the shifting pattern of cracks in the earth after seasonal rains. The Black Rock Desert is a philosophical and visual meditation on an extraordinary place virtually devoid of the usual physical features one relies on for orientation and comfort. It invites readers to consider how the mind responds to a place so empty that it's both physically overpowering and psychically disorienting. Klett's photographs are austere yet innovative, admitting the vastness of the desert yet never letting us forget that traces of human passage and perception are ubiquitous. Fox's contemplative essays bring us news of both the natural desert and its cultural occupation, from the explorations of John C. Frémont to the exaltations of Burning Man. Together, Fox and Klett have forged an introspective guide to a place so daunting that few dare to venture there alone. For anyone seeking to understand how and why we perceive deserts the way we do, their book charts the rugged intersection of the American landscape and the human spirit.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Introspective and personal. Written in accessible prose that bursts into pure poetry, it renders Fox's deep affection and sensibility for the playa. . . . Groping to describe why the desert pulls with such force, there is temptation to defer: 'You just have to go there.' Fox, instead, takes us there. And his words, supplemented by Klett's contemplative photographs, lend eyes, ears, smell, and touch to the experience." —Bloomsbury Review

From the Back Cover

It is the only absolute desert in North America, a four-hundred-square-mile dry lake bed so desolate that nothing ever grows there. Vast and featureless, Nevada's Black Rock Desert defies visual measurement--much to the consternation of off-roaders who venture out onto this playa only to run out of gas before reaching the other side. It is the largest flat area on the continent, where the sound barrier was broken in a car. And it is a place of total silence--not even birds or insects live here--except when thousands of humans congregate for the Burning Man Festival on Labor Day weekend. Writer and poet William Fox has demonstrated his familiarity with the Great Basin in such respected books as Mapping the Empty, just as Mark Klett has been documenting the landscape of the American West in his acclaimed photographic studies. Now these accomplished artists turn their combined talents to an appreciation of this desolate corner of North America, where the only change in scenery comes with the shifting pattern of cracks in the earth after seasonal rains. The Black Rock Desert is a philosophical and visual meditation on an extraordinary place virtually devoid of the usual physical features one relies on for orientation and comfort. It invites readers to consider how the mind responds to a place so empty that it's both physically overpowering and psychically disorienting. Klett's photographs are austere yet innovative, admitting the vastness of the desert yet never letting us forget that traces of human passage and perception are ubiquitous. Fox's contemplative essays bring us news of both the natural desert and its cultural occupation, from the explorations of John C. Fremont to the exaltations of Burning Man. Together, Fox and Klett have forged an introspective guide to a place so daunting that few dare to venture there alone. For anyone seeking to understand how and why we perceive deserts the way we do, their book charts the rugged intersection of the American landscape and the human spirit.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 77 pages
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press (June 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816521727
• ISBN-13: 978-0816521722
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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This review is from: The Black Rock Desert (Desert Places) (Paperback)

"The Black Rock Desert" is the travelogue to a trip that William L. Fox and Mark Klett took together. As with many of Fox's desert excursions, rock art legend Alvin McLane came along for a branch of the playa journey. Together, the adventurers camp and explore the largest flat area on the continent. Much of the joy of "The Black Rock Desert" comes from William Fox's narrative. In top form, his signature writing style draws on science, philosophy, history and poetry. Here is a book that is as artistically written as it is infused with historical events and scientific insight. Compared to the rest of the Black Rock bibliography, this is the book that best captures the essence of this unique place. Indeed, even though William Fox's "The Void, The Grid & The Sign," contains a similar travelogue to the same place, this book is far more succinct. While all of this is very compelling, "The Black Rock Desert" works on an additional level. An emphasis is placed on the creative process. The author is reflective in how this book is the result of a rich collaboration. Mark Klett visually documented the trip, but his material lacks the drama that one might expect in the work of a photographer such as Ted Levin. Together, Fox and Klett crafted a book that is as cerebral as it is entertaining. Aside from an actual visit to the playa, "The Black Rock Desert" is as close as most will get to experiencing the otherworldly playground.

William L. Fox has become my favorite desert writer. As with "The Black Rock Desert," most of his work creatively brings together science, art, philosophy, history, poetry . . . and fun. Always aware of how seemingly unrelated elements are connected, he can be counted on to take any situation to the next level. As a thinker, Fox gets the big picture and he can express it with originality. Despite being a luminary with a significant body of work, the Desert Fox only seems to be appreciated by a small group of people. So finding this author is a bit like exploring some obscure side canyon and discovering that stunningly beautiful cactus flower. Indeed, William Fox takes us along on a journey worth taking.