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Desert Solitaire
''Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness'' is an autobiographical work by American writer Edward Abbey, originally published in 1968. His fourth book and his first book-length non-fiction work, it follows three fictional books: '' Jonathan Troy'' (1954), ''The Brave Cowboy'' (1956), and '' Fire on the Mountain'' (1962). Although it initially garnered little attention, ''Desert Solitaire'' was eventually recognized as an iconic work of nature writing and a staple of early environmentalist writing, bringing Abbey critical acclaim and popularity as a writer of environmental, political, and philosophical issues. Based on Abbey's activities as a park ranger at Arches National Monument (now Arches National Park) in the late 1950s, the book is often compared to Henry David Thoreau's ''Walden'' and Aldo Leopold's ''A Sand County Almanac''. It is written as a series of vignettes about Abbey's experiences in the Colorado Plateau region of the desert Southwestern United States, ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Abbey
Edward Paul Abbey (January 29, 1927 – March 14, 1989) was an American author, essayist, and environmental activist noted for his advocacy of environmental issues and criticism of public land policies. His best-known works include ''Desert Solitaire'', a non-fiction autobiographical account of his time as a park ranger at Arches National Park considered to be an iconic work of nature writing and a staple of early environmentalist writing; the novel ''The Monkey Wrench Gang'', which has been cited as an inspiration by environmentalists and groups defending nature by various means, also called eco-terrorists; his novel ''Hayduke Lives!''; and his essay collections ''Down the River (with Henry Thoreau & Other Friends)'' (1982) and ''One Life at a Time, Please'' (1988). Early life and education Abbey was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, (although another source names his birthplace as Home, Pennsylvania) on January 29, 1927 to Mildred Postlewait and Paul Revere Abbey. Mildred was a s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
River Running
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a part of the experience. This activity as an adventure sport has become popular since the 1950s, if not earlier, evolving from individuals paddling to rafts with double-bladed paddles or oars to multi-person rafts propelled by single-bladed paddles and steered by a person at the stern, or by the use of oars. Rafting on certain sections of rivers is considered an extreme sport and can be fatal, while other sections are not so extreme or difficult. Rafting is also a competitive sport practiced around the world which culminates in a world rafting championship event between the participating nations. The International Rafting Federation, often referred to as the IRF, is the worldwide body which oversees all aspects of the sport. Equipme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa, throughout parts of West Asia, western, Central Asia, central and South Asia, southern Asia, east to eastern Tibet in the Old World, and in the mountains of Central America. The highest-known juniper forest occurs at an altitude of in southeastern Tibet and the northern Himalayas, creating one of the highest tree lines on earth. Description Junipers vary in size and shape from tall trees, tall, to columnar or low-spreading shrubs with long, trailing branches. They are evergreen with needle-like and/or scale-like leaves. They can be either monoecious or dioecious. The female Conifer cone, seed cones are very distinctive, with fleshy, fruit-like coalescing scales which fuse together to form Juniper berry, a&n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Purshia
''Purshia'' (bitterbrush or cliff-rose) is a small genus of 5–8 species of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae which are native to western North America. Description ''Purshia'' species form deciduous or evergreen shrubs, typically reaching tall. The leaves are long, deeply three- to five-lobed, with revolute margins. The flowers are 1–2 cm in diameter, with five white to pale yellow or pink petals and yellow stamens. The fruit is a cluster of dry, slender, leathery achenes which are 2–6 cm long. The roots have root nodule, nodules that host nitrogen-fixing ''Frankia'' bacterium. Taxonomy Taxonomic history The genus was originally placed in the subfamily Rosoideae. In the past, the evergreen species were treated separately in the genus ''Cowania''; this genus is still accepted by some botanists. Modern classification The classification of ''Purshia'' within the family Rosaceae has been unclear. It is now placed in the subfamily Dryadoideae. Species ''Pur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Delicate Arch Sunset
Delicate may refer to: Music * ''Delicate'' (album), by Martha & The Muffins (2010) * "Delicate" (Taylor Swift song), song by Taylor Swift from ''Reputation'' (2017) * "Delicate" (Terence Trent D'Arby song), by Terence Trent D'Arby featuring Des'ree from ''Symphony or Damn'' (1993) * "Delicate", song by D. Rice from '' O'' (2002) * "Delicate", song by Operator from ''Soulcrusher'' (2007) Other uses * Delicates, garments that include delicate fabrics * Delicacies A delicacy is usually a rare and expensive food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture. Irrespective of local preferences, such a label is typically pervasive throughout a r ... * '' Mythimna vitellina'' (the delicate), a moth of the family Noctuidae {{Disambiguation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Annie Dillard
Annie Dillard (born April 30, 1945) is an American author, best known for her narrative prose in both fiction and non-fiction. She has published works of poetry, essays, prose, and literary criticism, as well as two novels and one memoir. Her 1974 work ''Pilgrim at Tinker Creek'' won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. From 1980, Dillard taught for 21 years in the English department of Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Connecticut. Early life and ''An American Childhood'' Annie Dillard was the eldest of three daughters. Early childhood details can be drawn from Annie Dillard's autobiography, ''An American Childhood'' (1987), about growing up in the 50s Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh in "a house full of comedians.". The book focuses on "waking up" from a self-absorbed childhood, and becoming immersed in the present moment of the larger world. She describes her mother as an energetic non-conformist. Her father taught her many useful subjects such as plumb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silent Spring
''Silent Spring'' is an environmental science book by Rachel Carson. Published on September 27, 1962, the book documented the environmental harm caused by the indiscriminate use of pesticides. Carson accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation, and public officials of accepting the industry's marketing claims unquestioningly. In the late 1950s, Carson began to work on environmental conservation, especially environmental problems that she believed were caused by synthetic pesticides. The result of her research was ''Silent Spring'', which brought environmental concerns to the American public. The book was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, but it swayed public opinion and led to a reversal in U.S. pesticide policy, a nationwide ban on DDT for agricultural uses, and an environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Paull, John (2013"The Rachel Carson Letters and the Making of Silent Spring", Sage Open, 3 ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist, writer, and conservationist whose influential book ''Silent Spring'' (1962) and other writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement. Carson began her career as an aquatic biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller '' The Sea Around Us'' won her a U.S. National Book Award, recognition as a gifted writer and financial security. Her next book, ''The Edge of the Sea'', and the reissued version of her first book, '' Under the Sea Wind'', were also bestsellers. This sea trilogy explores the whole of ocean life from the shores to the depths. Late in the 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation, especially some problems she believed were caused by synthetic pesticides. The result was the book ''Silent Spring'' (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedente ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walt Whitman
Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection ''Leaves of Grass'', which was described as obscene for its overt sensuality. Born in Huntington on Long Island, Whitman resided in Brooklyn as a child and through much of his career. At the age of 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. Later, Whitman worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, ''Leaves of Grass'', was first published in 1855 with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt at reaching out to the common person with an American epic. He continued expanding and revising it until his de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Hunter Austin
Mary Hunter Austin (September 9, 1868 – August 13, 1934) was an American writer. One of the early nature writers of the American Southwest, her classic '' The Land of Little Rain'' (1903) describes the fauna, flora, and people – as well as evoking the mysticism and spirituality – of the region between the High Sierra and the Mojave Desert of southern California. Early years and education Mary Hunter Austin was born on September 9, 1868, in Carlinville, Illinois (the fourth of six children) to Susannah (née Graham) and George Hunter. She graduated from Blackburn College in 1888. Her family moved to California in the same year and established a homestead in the San Joaquin Valley. Career She married Stafford Wallace Austin on May 18, 1891, in Bakersfield, California. He was from Hawaii and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. For 17 years, Austin made a special study of the lives of the indigenous peoples of the Mojave Desert. Her publications set for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramada (shelter)
In the southwestern United States, a ramada is a temporary or permanent shelter equipped with a roof but no walls, or only partially enclosed. Ramadas have traditionally been constructed with branches or bushes by aboriginal Americans living in the region (deriving from the Spanish ''rama'', meaning "branch"). However, the term today is also applied to permanent concrete, wooden, or steel structures used to shelter objects or people from the sun. For example, public parks in desert areas of the United States may contain ramadas with picnic tables, restrooms, water sources, etc. Since sunlight is more of an environmental hazard than wind or snow or rain in this part of the world, a roof alone provides substantial shelter. And because there are no walls in the structure, airflow is unrestricted, helping to keep the temperature below the roof substantially cooler than ambient. An example of a large modern-day ramada can be seen at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moab, Utah
Moab () is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to the nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The town is a popular base for mountain bikers who ride the extensive network of trails including the Slickrock Trail, and for off-roaders who come for the annual Moab Jeep Safari. History Early years The Biblical name Moab refers to an area of land located on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Some historians believe the city in Utah came to use this name because of William Andrew Peirce, the first postmaster, believing that the biblical Moab and this part of Utah were both "the far country". However, others believe the name has Paiute origins, referring to the word ''moapa'', meaning "mosquito". Some of the area's early residents attempted to change the city's name, because in the Chr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
