A Voice Crying in the Wilderness: Notes from a Secret Journal (Vox Clamantis in Deserto) [Hardcover]

Edward Abbey (Author), Andrew Rush (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Vox Clamantis in Deserto | Publication Date: May 1990

For the first time in softcover, Edward Abbey's last book, a collection of unforgettable barbs of wisdom from the best-selling author of The Monkey Wrench Gang.

Notes from a Secret Journal

Edward Abbey on:

Government-"Terrorism: deadly violence against humans and other living things, usually conducted by a government against its own people."

Sex-"How to Avoid Pleurisy: Never make love to a girl named Candy on the tailgate of a half-ton Ford pickup during a chill rain in April out of Grandview Point in San Juan County, Utah."

New York City-"New Yorkers like to boast that if you can survive in New York, you can survive anywhere. But if you can survive anywhere, why live in New York?"

Literature-"Henry James. Our finest lady novelist."

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

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edward Abbey (1927-1989) was born in Home, Pennsylvania. He received graduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of New Mexico, and attended the University of Edinburgh. He worked for a time as a forest ranger and was a committed naturalist and a fierce environmentalist; such was his anger, eloquence, and action on the subject that he has become a heroic, almost mythic figure to a whole host of environmental groups and literally millions of readers.

Abbey's career as a writer spanned four decades and encompassed a variety of genres, from essays to novels to this volume, which was completed two weeks before his death. One of his early successes was the novel The Brave Cowboy, which was made into the movie Lonely Are the Brave. His 1968 collection of essays, Desert Solitaire, became a necessary text for the new environmentalists, like the group 'Earth First,' and his rambunctious 1975 novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, a picaresque tale of environmental guerillas, which launched a national cult movement and sold over half-a-million copies. Other titles include The Journey Home, Fool's Progress, and the posthumously released Hayduke Lives!

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

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (May 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312041470
• ISBN-13: 978-0312041472
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vox et Abbey! Fantastic little book!, December 1, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Vox Clamantis in Deserto): Notes from a Secret Journal (Paperback)

After Ed's passing, there were many holes, despite the prolific nature of the self proclaimed bastard. This small book offers a wonderful insight into the man behind the Monkey Wrench. Through his journals, poems and other unpublished work, another ray of desert sunlight falls upon Ed's hulking form. We miss you Abbey, but this eases the emptiness a little

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 is closer to it., June 25, 2001

By 

George G. Kiefer (Sevierville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Vox Clamantis in Deserto): Notes from a Secret Journal (Paperback)

This is not Abbey's grand work nor was it intended to be. This is a small collection of one-liners and pithy observations of a highly talented, self-admitted misanthrope. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell" is a prime example.

Abbey was a truck riding good ole boy and was about as politically correct as a punch to the head. His backpack was not designed by Gucci and his boots were mostly army surplus but he spent a life time outdoors, not behind a desk finding fault. His writings, his actions and his public appearances brought more awareness of nature and its plight to the public than did the combined number of his critics by a factor of 1000.

Borne just before the depression, he did not see all wild game as Bambi or Thumper but, as a child, watched as his father hunted for the table. Abbey may not be for everyone, but, by the same token, neither is Mr. Rogers.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bumpersticker Abbey!!, December 2, 2001

By 

Walter B. Conger "Solopreneur" (California central coast) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Vox Clamantis in Deserto): Notes from a Secret Journal (Paperback)

A great service was provided Edward Abbey fans with the publication of this marvelous little tome. Now we anarchists have a handy source of short bits by Abbey to plaster on our webpages, our mail, and even our car bumpers! Up with nature, down with Empire!