Down the River

By Edward Abbey

Book Overview

Down the River is a collection of essays both timeless and timely. It is an exploration of the abiding beauty of some of the last great stretches of American wilderness on voyages down rivers where the body and mind float free, and the grandeur of nature gives rise to meditations on everything from the life of Henry David Thoreau to the militarization of the open range. At the same time, it is an impassioned condemnation of what is being done to our natural heritage in the name of progress, profit, and security. Filled with fiery dawns, wild and shining rivers, and radiant sandstone canyons, it is charged as well with heartfelt, rampageous rage at human greed, blindness, and folly. It is, in short, Edward Abbey at his best, where and when we need him most.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525476768
• ISBN13: 9780525476764
• Release Date: April 1982
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 242 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A paradise lost, and a civilization headed in the same direction

Abbeys prose are strong, harsh, and often humorous. The title story portrays an early journey down the Colorado river through a splendid canyon that has since been buried by Lake Powell. It is a great adventure, but the story goes far beyond the whitewater and beautiful scenery. The brilliant style portrays a deep love of the natural world and a horror for what is happening to it in the name of greed and stupidity. Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet

An addventurs book that you will love!

Many things I liked about this book was that it had alot of addventure and excitment. The characters always have exciting attitude's. Jessice is the main character she is 15 and only has a dad. She gets along with all group members once she gets to meet them. One of the things I didn't like about this book was that they really didn't tell about their home lives much. like why pug was sent to this camp. P.S. For the most part I thought that this book was extoridanory.

drifting along Ed's river

As a longtime Abbey fan, down the river is as powerful and exciting as any. The stories capture the imagination, and are filled with flowing, humorous, forceful prose. a gem to read!

A rebel with a cause

After "Desert Solitaire" this is my favorite Edward Abbey book. The essay on rafting the Glen Canyon before the dam was built is sublime and makes you ponder the true value of wilderness to the soul-- a value which can't be tabulated because it is immeasurable.Abbey's a rebel, defending the West from the industrialists and profiteers. He makes no apologies for being passionate about his cause, and why should he. His passion may not be "fashionable," but Abbey is a true American original, and the kind of person we need more of. His writing is edgy, beautiful, makes you want to grab a raft and head down the Colorado. Nature is where he finds himself-- as harsh and uncompromising as it is, it's real. I also love Abbey's sense of humor. I wonder if he ever met Hunter Thompson-- that would have been a great conversation. One of the funniest essays I've ever read is in this book: "The Legend of Josiah Gregg." Watching Abbey debunk a book about the life of this supposed great frontiersman had me on the floor. Probably the funniest part was Abbey's interpretation of his memoirs: the way thunderstorms appeared over his head bellowing at him in a purposeful way, the way his campfire got out of control and he fled from it across the plains. His assessment of the Great Plains as a "barren wasteland devoid of life." In Abbey's eyes, Gregg is the Inspector Clouseau of the frontier. All in all, a great read. Spending time with Abbey is a pleasure.

Some Of Edward Abbey's best Non-Fiction

If you have never read Edward Abbey before, start with Desert Solitaire, a previous collection of essays. Otherwise, READ THIS BOOK! It is a great group of stories about aventures Abbey had on the river (the Colorado, usually but not always.) You will come away wishing you had seen the things that he had described, and be able to understand why he had such a love for the Southwest, as many people do.