About this title: The famously cranky activist and writer Edward Abbey is revealed in this biography as the immature womanizer he is reputed to be, but also as a fascinating, lovable, and complex man defiantly committed to the causes he espoused. James M. Cahalan uses interviews, letters and diaries, and Abbey's voluminous works in creating his portrait, and the book includes a very thorough bibliography.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: First edition
Publisher: University of Arizona
Date Published: 2001
Description: Tiny nick to top edge of the front cover, else fine copy. 8vo. paperbound. Biography. This is a publisher's advance uncorrected proof copy of the first edition. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Date Published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780816519064ISBN:0816519064
Description: Fair in Used: Good jacket. Size: 9.1; 2001. University of Arizona Press. Hardcover. 1st printing. Ex-library with usual markings. read more
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Univ of Arizona Press, Arizona
Date Published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780816522675ISBN:0816522677
Description: Very Good+ Jacket Not Issued. Nice clean copy....binding is solid...text unmarked....corners slightly bumped....literature, edward abbey. read more
Description: University of Arizona, 2001. 340 pages. 1st printing, Uncorrected Proof, precedes the 1st hardcover edition. Trade paperback. Photos. Notes. Bibliography. Fine-. Faint crease affecting the last 50 pages and the rear cover. ISBN: 0816519064. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: University Of Arizona Press [2001], Tucson
Date Published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780816519064ISBN:0816519064
Description: Very Good. First edition. Advance copy: Uncorrected Proof [Uncorrected Page Proofs] in pictorial wrappers [trade sized paperback format, but of the hardcover edition]. 340 pages, illustrated ["contains 30 photographs, capturing scenes ranging from Abbey's childhood to his burial site"]. Otherwise Near Fine copy with some creasing/bumping to/around the spine head. [This proof versions appears to be scarce]. read more
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780816519064ISBN:0816519064
Description: Near Fine in a Near Fine dustjacket. Bound in full blue cloth. The spine is stamped in gilt. Quarto. 357pps., plus 16 pages of photos. There is a small remainder mark on the bottom of the textblock, otherwise clean, tight, square, and bright. All tips are sharp. Yet to be read. The dustjacket, glossy in a new mylar sleeve, has mild touches of rubbing and crinkling; no chips, soiling, or tears. A very nice copy. "...James Cahalan has written a definitive biography of a contemporary literary icon ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: The University of Arizona Press, Tuscon, AZ
Date Published: 2001
Description: Near Fine in Very Good jacket. Tight spine, very clean copy, B&W biographical illustrations throughout, dj has slight wear at top edge, 357 pages. read more
Edition: Second Printing
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: University of Arizona Press, Tucson
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780816522675ISBN:0816522677
Description: VG- Covers rubbed, curl. Inscribed by Cahalan on the title page. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾". Soft cover. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover; First Printing
ISBN-13:9780816519064ISBN:0816519064
Description: Fine in Fine dust jacket. Hardcover. University of Arizona Press, 2001. 1st Edition/1st Printing. Fine Book in Fine Dust Jacket. Overall, a clean and tight copy to add to a collection or read and enjoy. Dust Jacket protected with a new archival cover. Bubble wrapped and shipped promptly in a box. read more
Description: Good. Cover curling and has shelf wear. corners bent. corners and edges worn. some page corners folded over. underlining and writing on some pages., Used-Good. Sound Copy. Mild Reading Wear. Books uploaded via isbn and stock photos may be different than actual book. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780816522675ISBN:0816522677
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. minor wear and creasing. A great book about a true American icon. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. With dust jacket. 357 p. Audience: General/trade. FAST shipping read more
"Though this book was very informative, it didn't "flow." Probably too much information and too many references. I found it somewhat interesting because I loved Abbey's Desert Solitaire, and have spent time the last 5 summers in Moab, Utah, where Abbey is a local hero. The last 2 years we've rented a house just outside of town right across the road from one of Abbey's best buddies, Ken Sleight (Ken used to own this house), and across the road from Abbey's 4th wife out of 5 (she lives on Abbey Road). Unless you have a great interest in all the gory details of Abbey's many many affairs, etc., I'd suggest just reading his books."
"And what a life it was! This is supposed to be the best combined stud of Abbey's life in conjunction with his writing, that's been done so far. We shall see..."
"I don't read many biographies. (In fact, the only other one I can remember reading is one about Ben Franklin.) This book did not whet my appetite for them; I struggled through it. Cactus Ed is one of my favorite and most admired writers, and a fantastic Western character. The Monkeywrench Gang is one of my top 20 books of all time. I loved Edward Abbey: A Life because it revealed the dichotomy that was Ed Abbey by describing how Abbey created a public persona, Cactus Ed -a virtual caricature of himself- while disclosing the real Ed -a scholar, self-denied naturalist, and introvert. The book also did a good job of describing the events of Abbey's life, his process of writing, and his passion for the wilderness that often caused him to sacrifice family and relationships. I hated this book for its redundancy (the author tells you at least five times that Doug Peacock was the inspiration for Hayduke in TMG and Hayduke Lives! before Peacock is even introduced as a friend of Abbey's, then he tells you at least three more times) and its inability to follow a timeline. I wouldn't have been so worried about the chronological order of things, but the chapters have names like 1959-1964, yet they contain events from long before and long after these dates, confusing things bit. Also, the book was a bit too scholarly. I felt like I was reading a biography of Hubert Humphrey. All in all, I'm glad I read it for the content, despite the style. My recommendation: Read this book in a lookout tower over the Grand Canyon or in the bottom of a slickrock canyon outside of Moab."
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