I have currently read the introductory material and first six chapters of his book Desert Solitaire. I was immediately drawn to his descriptions of the desert because of my own love for the outdoors, particularly the arid landscape and natural beauty of the desert. In the first six chapters he introduces the reader to his new home, a metal trailer residing miles away from any other people and anything "civilized." His only companions, the rocks, plants, a few ravens, some resident mice, a snake (and its friend) that he befriended, and a few other more-or-less elusive animals.

Abbey is clearly an educated outdoorsman, reciting the names of dozens of plants that comprise the fauna around his new home as well as the plants of other regions. He also lists off the names and classification of many of the geological resources of the area; he names rocks and minerals that the average, even fairly educated, person would not r

His interactions with these animals are interesting and often humorous. After capturing and supposedly befriending a gofer snake in order to ward of the rattlers and consume his housemates, he turns the snake loose expecting it to stay close to its new home. How could he have thought that the snake would remain curled up beneath his porch waiting for his master's return? Initially discouraged, he is surprised when his friend returns with a companion some time later. Suspecting this is his friend, he theorizes that his friend's companion must be a mate. Intrigued by the development in his non-dramatic life, he sneaks up on the snakes and lies on the ground watching them. The whole event is quite amusing, particularly when they move toward him and his natural instinct causes him to leap to his feet, scaring them off.

Abbey raises these issues, and still retains the ability to bring a smile to the readers face. I intend to finish the book in the next week, and would not hesitate to recommend it, whatever the reader's environmental preference.

ecognize. These rock and mineral descriptions drew me even deeper into his book due to my own interest in geology (although there were names that even I didn't recognize).

There have been different aspects of

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Approximate Word count = 857
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)