Down the River (Plume) [Paperback]

Edward Abbey (Author)

Book Description

Series: Plume | Publication Date: January 30, 1991

"Be of good cheer," the war-horse Edward Abbey advises, "the military-industrial state will soon collapse." This sparkling book, which takes us up and down rivers and across mountains and deserts, is the perfect antidote to despair.

Along the way, Abbey makes time for Thoreau while he takes a hard look at the MX missile system, slated for the American West. "For 23 years now I've been floating rivers. Always downstream, the easy and natural way. The way Huck Finn and Jim did it, LaSalle and Marquette, the mountain men, and Major Powell."

"Abbey's the original fly in the ointment. Give him money and prizes. Don't let anything happen to him." --Thomas McGuane

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

6 1.5-hour cassettes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 30, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452265630
• ISBN-13: 978-0452265639
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Essays

More About the Author

Edward Abbey was born in Home, Pennsylvania, in 1927. He was educated at the University of New Mexico and the University of Edinburgh. He died at his home in Oracle, Arizona, in 1989.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rebel with a cause, February 5, 2001

By 

Elisabeth Keating (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Down the River (Plume) (Paperback)

After "Desert Solitaire" this is my favorite Edward Abbey book. The essay on rafting the Glen Canyon before the dam was built is sublime and makes you ponder the true value of wilderness to the soul-- a value which can't be tabulated because it is immeasurable.

Abbey's a rebel, defending the West from the industrialists and profiteers. He makes no apologies for being passionate about his cause, and why should he. His passion may not be "fashionable," but Abbey is a true American original, and the kind of person we need more of. His writing is edgy, beautiful, makes you want to grab a raft and head down the Colorado. Nature is where he finds himself-- as harsh and uncompromising as it is, it's real.

I also love Abbey's sense of humor. I wonder if he ever met Hunter Thompson-- that would have been a great conversation. One of the funniest essays I've ever read is in this book: "The Legend of Josiah Gregg." Watching Abbey debunk a book about the life of this supposed great frontiersman had me on the floor. Probably the funniest part was Abbey's interpretation of his memoirs: the way thunderstorms appeared over his head bellowing at him in a purposeful way, the way his campfire got out of control and he fled from it across the plains. His assessment of the Great Plains as a "barren wasteland devoid of life." In Abbey's eyes, Gregg is the Inspector Clouseau of the frontier.

All in all, a great read. Spending time with Abbey is a pleasure.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Of Edward Abbey's best Non-Fiction, June 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Down the River (Plume) (Paperback)

If you have never read Edward Abbey before, start with Desert Solitaire, a previous collection of essays. Otherwise, READ THIS BOOK! It is a great group of stories about aventures Abbey had on the river (the Colorado, usually but not always.) You will come away wishing you had seen the things that he had described, and be able to understand why he had such a love for the Southwest, as many people do.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Several good essays about the West, September 29, 2005

By 

Mike Smith (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Down the River (Plume) (Paperback)

I don't believe this is Edward Abbey's best work, but it is a nice collection of several very well-written essays.
The book includes good examinations of the issue of silt in Lake Powell and a decent look at the Colorado River hermit Bert Loper.
It's a great book to read on river, or in the desert, and Abbey's salty character comes through in every page--though the book does drag a little toward its end.