Scan barcode
vorpalblad's review against another edition
4.0
Having had the honor to read Abbey's private journals, finding this book was an amazing experience of seeing his words, and his thoughts translated into pithy sayings. A little bit of bumpersticker mentality but well worth it for the truths it reveals.
leeleeinok's review against another edition
3.0
Filled with quotes from the author, the book includes his take on the world. He was a little negative for my tastes, personally, but there were some gems included.
runningbeard's review
4.0
"Whatever we cannot easily understand we call God; this saves much wear and tear on the brain tissues."
"Belief in God? An afterlife? I believe in rock: this apodictic rock beneath my feet."
"From the point of view of a tapeworm, man was created by God to serve the appetite of the tapeworm."
"Proverbs save us the trouble of thinking. What we call folk wisdom is often no more than a kind of expedient stupidity."
"Appearance versus reality? Appearance is reality, God damn it!"
"Fantastic doctrines (like Christianity or Islam or Marxism) require unanimity of belief. One dissenter casts doubt on the creed of millions. Thus the fear and the hate; thus the torture champber, the iron stake, the gallows, the labor camp, the psychiatric ward."
"God is Love? Not bloody likely."
"Belief? What do I believe in? I believe in sun. In rock. In the dogma of the sun and the doctrine of the rock. I believe in blood, fire, woman, rivers, eagles, storm, drums, flutes, banjos, and broom-tailed horses..."
"In metaphysics, the notion that earth and all that's on it is a mental construct is the product of people who spend their lives inside rooms. It is an indoor philosophy."
"Belief in the supernatural reflects a failure of the imagination."
"Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion."
"We live in a time of twin credulities: the hunger for the miraculous combine with a servile awe of science. The mating of the two gives the superstition plus scientism-- a Mongoloid metaphysic."
"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets."
"All revolutions have failed? Perhaps. But rebellion for good cause is self-justifying-- a good in itself. Rebellion transforms slaves into human beings, if only for an hour."
"Men love their ideas more than their lives. And the more preposterous the idea, the more eager they are to die for it. And to kill for it."
"If America could be, once again, a nation of self-reliant farmers, craftsmen, hunters, ranchers, and artists, then the rich would have little power to dominate others. Neither to serve nor to rule: That was the American dream."
"There has never been an original sin: each is quite banal."
"The ready availability of suicide, like sex and alcohol, is one of life's basic consolations."
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
"We live in a kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues; without courage, the other virtues are useless."
"In the modern technoindustrial culture, it is possible to proceed from infancy into senility without ever knowing manhood."
"Once upon a time, I dreamed of becoming a great man. Later, a good man. Now, finally, I find it difficult enough and honor enough to be-- a man."
"Those who fear death most are those who enjoy life least."
"To the intelligent man or woman, life appears infinitely mysterious. But the stupid have an answer for every question."
"Art, science, philosophy, religion-- each offers at best only a crude simplification of actual living experience."
"I find more and more, as I grow older, that I prefer women to men, children to adults, animals to humans... And rocks to living things? No, I'm not that old yet."
"Belief in God? An afterlife? I believe in rock: this apodictic rock beneath my feet."
"From the point of view of a tapeworm, man was created by God to serve the appetite of the tapeworm."
"Proverbs save us the trouble of thinking. What we call folk wisdom is often no more than a kind of expedient stupidity."
"Appearance versus reality? Appearance is reality, God damn it!"
"Fantastic doctrines (like Christianity or Islam or Marxism) require unanimity of belief. One dissenter casts doubt on the creed of millions. Thus the fear and the hate; thus the torture champber, the iron stake, the gallows, the labor camp, the psychiatric ward."
"God is Love? Not bloody likely."
"Belief? What do I believe in? I believe in sun. In rock. In the dogma of the sun and the doctrine of the rock. I believe in blood, fire, woman, rivers, eagles, storm, drums, flutes, banjos, and broom-tailed horses..."
"In metaphysics, the notion that earth and all that's on it is a mental construct is the product of people who spend their lives inside rooms. It is an indoor philosophy."
"Belief in the supernatural reflects a failure of the imagination."
"Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion."
"We live in a time of twin credulities: the hunger for the miraculous combine with a servile awe of science. The mating of the two gives the superstition plus scientism-- a Mongoloid metaphysic."
"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets."
"All revolutions have failed? Perhaps. But rebellion for good cause is self-justifying-- a good in itself. Rebellion transforms slaves into human beings, if only for an hour."
"Men love their ideas more than their lives. And the more preposterous the idea, the more eager they are to die for it. And to kill for it."
"If America could be, once again, a nation of self-reliant farmers, craftsmen, hunters, ranchers, and artists, then the rich would have little power to dominate others. Neither to serve nor to rule: That was the American dream."
"There has never been an original sin: each is quite banal."
"The ready availability of suicide, like sex and alcohol, is one of life's basic consolations."
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
"We live in a kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues; without courage, the other virtues are useless."
"In the modern technoindustrial culture, it is possible to proceed from infancy into senility without ever knowing manhood."
"Once upon a time, I dreamed of becoming a great man. Later, a good man. Now, finally, I find it difficult enough and honor enough to be-- a man."
"Those who fear death most are those who enjoy life least."
"To the intelligent man or woman, life appears infinitely mysterious. But the stupid have an answer for every question."
"Art, science, philosophy, religion-- each offers at best only a crude simplification of actual living experience."
"I find more and more, as I grow older, that I prefer women to men, children to adults, animals to humans... And rocks to living things? No, I'm not that old yet."
jeanetterenee's review
4.0
I adore Ed Abbey, and this is nice because it's just pithy little quotes pulled from his books and organized by topic.
More...