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Edward Abbey

Edward Abbey Quotes

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Edward Abbey was an American author known for his naturalist works and advocacy for environmental protection. His writings often take the desolate wilderness of the American Southwest as a backdrop, profoundly revealing the relationship between humans and nature. Abbey's writing style is unique, filled with humor and satire, and has had a profound impact on later generations.

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All Men Ifs World Humans Wilderness Earth Government People Book Writing May Desert Needs Nature Should Form Knows Art Enough Rocks

Famous Edward Abbey Quotes

“The city itself swung slowly toward us silent as a dream. No sign of life but puffs of steam from skyscraper chimneys, the motion of the traffic. The mighty towers stood like tombstones in a graveyard, leaning against the sky and waiting for -- for what? Someday we'll know.”

Knows Dream Waiting Cities Sky Silent Someday Towers Traffic Steam Graveyard Tombstone Puff Chimneys Skyscraper Signs Of Life

Book:Slumgullion stew: an Edward Abbey reader

Source: Slumgullion stew: an Edward Abbey reader

“Don't talk to me about other worlds, separate realities, lost continents or invisible realms -- I know where I belong. Heaven is home. Utopia is here. Nirvana is now.”

Knows World Home Reality Lost Heaven Invisible Realms Continents Utopia Other Worlds Talk To Me Don't Talk To Me

Book:Slumgullion stew: an Edward Abbey reader

Source: Slumgullion stew: an Edward Abbey reader

“I must confess that I know nothing whatsoever about true underlying reality, never having met any.”

Knows Reality Mets

Author:Edward Abbey

“I despise my own nation most. Because I know it best. Because I still love it, suffering from Hope. For me, that's patrotism.”

Knows Stills Suffering Nations My Own Despise

Book:The Serpents of Paradise: A Reader

Source: The Serpents of Paradise: A Reader

“We know so very little about this strange planet we live on, this haunted world where all answers lead only to more mystery.”

Knows World Littles Answers Mystery Strange Planets

Author:Edward Abbey

“The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyong reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the eyes to see.”

Ifs Knows Inspirational Needs Eye Earth Nature Expression Hunger Loyalty Paradise Wilderness Bores Great Outdoors

Book:Desert Solitaire

Source: Desert Solitaire

“Anyone not paranoid in this world must be crazy. . . . Speaking of paranoia, it's true that I do not know exactly who my enemies are. But that of course is exactly why I'm paranoid.”

Knows World Courses Enemy Crazy This World Paranoia Paranoid Being Crazy

Book:Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast

Source: Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast

“If the world is irrational, we can never know it -- either it or its irrationality.”

Ifs Knows World Irrational Irrationality

Book:The Serpents of Paradise: A Reader

Source: The Serpents of Paradise: A Reader

“Is there a God? Who knows? Is there an angry unicorn on the dark side of the moon?”

Knows Sides Dark Moon Angry Dark Side Unicorn

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“I always write with my .357 magnum handy. Why? Well, you never know when God may try to interfere.”

Knows Writing Trying Wells May Interfere Handy

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“It may be true that my desk here is really 'nothing but' a transient eddy of electrons in the flux of universal process. Nevertheless, I find that it continues to support my feet, my revolver, and my cigars all day long. What happens when my back is turned I don't know. Or much care. That's no concern of mine.”

Knows May Long Happens Care Process Support Feet Mines Concern Universal Being True Nevertheless Desks Cigar Transient Flux Electrons Revolver

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“I know my own nation best. That's why I despise it the most. And know and love my own people, too, the swine. I'm a patriot. A dangerous man.”

People Knows Men Nations My Own Dangerous And Love Despise Patriot Swine Dangerous Man

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“We know this apodictic rock beneath our feet. That dogmatic sun above our heads. The world of dreams, the agony of love and the foresight of death. That is all we know. And all we need to know? Challenge that statement.”

Knows World Needs Dream Challenges Sun Feet Rocks Statements Agony Foresight Dogmatic

Author:Edward Abbey

“Writers should avoid the academy. When a writer begins to accept pay for talking about words, we know what he will produce soon: nothing but words.”

Knows Should Pay Talking Accepting Produce Academy

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“Most academic economists know nothing of economy. In fact, they know little of anything.”

Knows Littles Facts Economy Academic Economist

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“When the biggest, richest, glassiest buildings in town are the banks, you know that town's in trouble.”

Knows Trouble Building Towns

Book:A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

Source: A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

“What is truth? I don't know and I'm sorry I brought it up.”

Knows Truth Sorry I'm Sorry

Author:Edward Abbey

About the Author

Born: January 29, 1927
Died: March 14, 1989
Known for: Author
Quotes: 695

Related Topics

Men Ifs World Humans Wilderness Earth Government People Book Writing May Desert Needs Nature Should Form Knows Art Enough Rocks

Popular Topics

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Books & Sources

A Voice Crying in the WildernessRelated source material

Desert SolitaireRelated source material

Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American IconoclastRelated source material

The Serpents of Paradise: A ReaderRelated source material

Beyond the Wall: Essays from the OutsideRelated source material

Slumgullion stew: an Edward Abbey readerRelated source material

Confessions of a Barbarian: Selections from the Journals of Edward AbbeyRelated source material

One Life at a Time, PleaseRelated source material

The Fool's Progress: An Honest NovelRelated source material

The Monkey Wrench GangRelated source material

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