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
needs wilderness possibility
We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope.
feet may needs
We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to go there. We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope.
pride grace needs
The rich can buy everything but health, virtue, friendship, wit, good looks, love, pride, intelligence, grace, and, if you need it, happiness.
government enemy needs
All governments need enemies. How else to justify their existence?
ideas environmental needs
The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders.
distance kids work-out
Simplicity is always a virtue. One kid on a riverbank working out a Stephen Foster tune on his new harmonica heard from the correct esthetic distance projects more magic and power than the entire Vienna Philharmonic and Chorus laboring (once again) through the Mozart Requiem or Bach's B Minor Mass.
writing police musical
Poor Dimitri Shostakovich: In the Soviet Union, he was condemned as being too radical; in the West, for being too conservative. He could please no one but the musical public. He revenged himself on both by writing a short piece called 'March of the Soviet Police.'
believe fidelity being-true
I, too, believe in fidelity. But how can I be true to one woman without being false to all the others?
hate people musical
Grand opera is a form of musical entertainment for people who hate music.
men opera sopranos
Opera: I like it, except for all those howling sopranos and caterwauling tenors. (Why can't tenors sing like men?)
cutting singing said
As Mark Twain said, 'I love Wagner -- if only they'd cut out all that damned singing!'
museums world-literature pay
Most of what we call the classics of world literature suggest artifacts in a wax museum. We have to hire and pay professors to get them read and talked about.
moving agreement voice
Why the critics, like a flock of ducks, always move in perfect unison: Their authority with the public depends upon an appearance of unanimous agreement. One dissenting voice would shatter the whole fragile structure.
answers tasks insolent
It is not the writer's task to answer questions but to question answers. To be impertinent, insolent, and, if necessary, subversive.