"He was a hero to environmentalists and the patron saint of monkeywrenchers, a man in love with desert solitude. A supposed misogynist, ornery and contentious, he nevertheless counted women among his closest friends and admirers. He attracted a cult following, but he was often uncomfortable with it. He was a writer who wandered far from Home without really starting out there.".

"James Cahalan has written a definitive biography of a contemporary literary icon whose life was a web of contradictions. Edward Abbey: A Life sets the record straight of "Cactus Ed," giving readers a fuller, more human Abbey than most have ever known.".

"Cahalan studied all of Abbey's works and private papers and interviewed many people who knew him - including the models for characters in The Brave Cowboy and The Monkey Wrench Gang - to create the most complete picture to date of the writer's life. He examines Abbey's childhood roots in the East and his love affair with the West, his personal relationships and tempestuous marriages, and his myriad jobs in continually shifting locations - including sixteen national parks and forests.

He also explores Abbey's writing process, his broad intellectual interests, and the philosophical roots of his politics." "The book contains 30 photographs, capturing scenes ranging from Abbey's childhood to his burial site."--BOOK JACKET.