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josephbdoner's review against another edition
5.0
Edward Abbey can, at times, be an extremely difficult writer to read. Either due to the twisting cleverness of his words or the outright abrasiveness of much of his writing, Abbey almost seems to want his readers to get angry, to get frustrated, either at him or someone else or just in general. This can make certain portions of the book difficult to get through, but this difficulty is in the design of the book as it forces the reader to read closer and think harder about the ideas and situations presented in the novel. The Monkey Wrench Gang inspired waves of protest and direct action in defense of the environment and is still incredibly relevant to the efforts of current defenders of the environment, barring a handful of tips, tricks, and ideas that have been made inaccurate or irrelevant by the passage of time. I can honestly say that I view it as incredibly important reading for anyone interested in anarchism, environmentalism, or the desert west.
scottapeshot's review against another edition
5.0
Hugely entertaining, terribly dated. So enjoy a book like this where the brushes are broadly applied.
henry_wallison's review against another edition
5.0
This made for an all-around fun read. I was glued to the story, and deeply enamored with the interesting and flawed characters Abbey created. It was especially intriguing to read this after reading Desert Solitaire, as you can really see a lot of the ideas and facts of the desert that Abbey described there play out in narrative form here. Well worth the read!
canadajanes's review against another edition
5.0
This is a must read for anyone who loves the southwest and for anyone interested in environmental activism.
libraryadvokate's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zhengsterz's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Fictional book that follows a gang of eco-terrorists sticking it to the man! Consists of a doctor, a hot nurse, psychopathic Vietnam war veteran and a Mormon outdoorsman. Very cast of misfits type adventure romp with romance and a cheesy ending. Nothing spectacular
writermattphillips's review against another edition
4.0
Haha... a classic. This is freaking awesome.
chairman_meow77's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
monte05's review against another edition
3.0
I am torn as I am writing this review. On one hand, this book was a blast to read because of my knowledge of most of the places mentioned in the novel and the dynamic personalities of each of the characters. On the other hand, had I not known of the locations in the novel the lack of description would make understanding the setting very difficult; also, while the characters' personalities are interesting in of themselves I personally would have preferred better interaction between them (especially in the second half). If you are familiar with the Arizona and Utah region and are interested in strong personality types supporting to preserve nature (in a somewhat radical way) this book is just for you!