Ed Abbey called The Monkey Wrench Gang, his 1975 novel, a "comic extravaganza." Some readers have remarked that the book is more a comic book than a real novel, and it's true that reading this incendiary call to protect the American wilderness requires more than a little of the old willing suspension of disbelief. The story centers on Vietnam veteran George Washington Hayduke III, who returns to the desert to find his beloved canyons and rivers threatened by industrial development. On a rafting trip down the Colorado River, Hayduke joins forces with feminist saboteur Bonnie Abbzug, wilderness guide Seldom Seen Smith, and billboard torcher Doc Sarvis, M.D., and together they wander off to wage war on the big yellow machines, on dam builders and road builders and strip miners. As they do, his characters voice Abbey's concerns about wilderness preservation ("Hell of a place to lose a cow," Smith thinks to himself while roaming through the canyonlands of southern Utah. "Hell of a place to lose your heart. Hell of a place... to lose. Period"). Moving from one improbable situation to the next, packing more adventure into the space of a few weeks than most real people do in a lifetime, the motley gang puts fear into the hearts of their enemies, laughing all the while. It's comic, yes, and required reading for anyone who has come to love the desert. --Gregory McNamee
Transgressional Fiction at it's Best (Rating 5 of 5)
» Brad Groux
Easily Edward Abbey's most brilliant of works... The Monkey Wrench Gang hits on all cylinders. If you're a fan of the ramblings of Bret Easton Ellis or the visionary worlds of Chuck Palahniuk then stop right now and add this book to your shopping cart; you won't be dissapointed
Evergreen of Desert Lit (Rating 5 of 5)
» Yours Truly
This novel is a great companion to a Four Corners vacation. You can visit all the places that Edward Abbey's tale of eco-mayhem takes his characters and, if you're intrepid, get in some challenging hikes. Even though Abbey is having fun here, the novel sizzles with his righteous indignation about the inroads of construction and exploitation on the desert wilderness.
I loved his characters--nurse Bonnie Abbzug (a tribute to Bella?), surgeon Doc Sarvis, the many-wived Seldom Seen Smith, and deranged Vietnam vet George Hayduke. Pursued by their nemesis the (Mormon) Bishop of Blanding, Mike Love, they're a little like Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters with moral intent.
The new paperback with an intro by historian Douglas Brinkley and a timeline of Abbey's life (which ended in 1989) demonstrates the relevance of this work for contemporary audiences. Last time I looked, the Glen Canyon Dam was standing, but Abbey would be pleased that there's still talk of tearing it down
Where the hell do all these people come from? (Rating 5 of 5)
» M. Corey
I hadn't read Monkey Wrench Gang for 15+ years, and I don't know why, but back then I kind of blew it off. Re-reading it really surprised me. It may even be more timely now than then. Peabody Coal's descendants continue to rape the West(and anywhere else they can get their hands on), land is gobbled up for yuppie hives, planned communities, and SCD's(suburban cluster developments). While I don't totally agree with the Eco-Warrior ethos, Monkey Wrench Gang really got me thinking, and I've started renewing my old acquaintance with Ed Abbey, Wallace Stegner, & someone I've never lost touch with, Ivan Doig. Oh, by the way, this book was a serious page-turner....my vitals were elevated for quite a few pages
fantastic (Rating 5 of 5)
» L. Smith
The book on amazon was cheaper than at my college bookstore and local bookstores. Brand new, came in time, and all together fantastic service, plus the free shipping was nice
A Book to be Read Again and Again (Rating 5 of 5)
» Joan J. Fulton
I received a pre-publication copy of The Monkey Wrench Gang at an American Booksellers Convention and took it home, along with a lot of other freebies. A few weeks later, my teenage son said to me, "Mom, you have GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!" This was 30 years ago. I read it then, and I have read it at least once a year since then, so that the characters have become my good friends. I love this book, and over the years I have given copies to many people. I grew to love Ed Abbey, too, through biographies about him, and I wept and grieved at his death.
Yes, buy this book and see for yourself!
(Rating 5 of 5)
