Edward Abbey
Edward Abbey
Edward Paul Abbeywas an American author and essayist noted for his advocacy of environmental issues, criticism of public land policies, and anarchist political views. His best-known works include the novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, which has been cited as an inspiration by radical environmental groups, and the non-fiction work Desert Solitaire...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth29 January 1927
CountryUnited States of America
Edward Abbey quotes about
smell taste wilderness
Why this cult of wilderness?... because we like the taste of freedom; because we like the smell of danger.
writing people challenges
Some people write to please, to soothe, to console. Others to provoke, to challenge, to exasperate and infuriate. I've always found the second approach the more pleasing.
journey hiking keys
The longest journey begins with a single step, not with a turn of the ignition key.
art perfect great-art
Great art is never perfect; perfect art is never great.
book graduates best-things
The best thing about graduating from the university was that I finally had time to sit on a log and read a good book.
meaningful blessing mind
Is the Archbishop's blessing any more meaningful than the Politician's handshake? The come, they go, with bigger things than us on their minds.
government political purpose
The purpose and function of government is not to preside over change but to prevent change. By political methods when unavoidable, by violence when convenient.
running coffee second-chance
Our culture runs on coffee and gasoline, the first often tasting like the second.
dream real fall
Men come and go, cities rise and fall, whole civilizations appear and disappear-the earth remains, slightly modified. The earth remains, and the heartbreaking beauty where there are no hearts to break....I sometimes choose to think, no doubt perversely, that man is a dream, thought an illusion, and only rock is real. Rock and sun.
writing mean volcanoes
When I write "paradise" I mean not only apple trees and golden women but also scorpions and tarantulas and flies, rattlesnakes and Gila monsters, sandstorms, volcanoes and earthquakes, bacteria and bear, cactus, yucca, bladderweed, ocotillo and mesquite, flash floods and quicksand, and yes - disease and death and the rotting of flesh.
world tribes
In the world of words, one of my best-loved tribes is the diatribe.
sheep taxation taxes
Taxation: how the sheep are shorn.
teamwork real stupid
One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork.
gun people natural
Guns don't kill people; people kill people. Of course, people with guns kill more people. But that's only natural. It's hard. But it's fair.