I am happy to be a regional writer. My region is the American West, old Mexico, West Virginia, New York, Europe, Australia, the human heart, and the male groin. Edward Abbey More Quotes by Edward Abbey More Quotes From Edward Abbey The true, unacknowledged purpose of capital punishment is to inspire fear and awe -- fear and awe of the State. Edward Abbey punishment purpose inspire Is the Archbishop's blessing any more meaningful than the Politician's handshake? The come, they go, with bigger things than us on their minds. Edward Abbey blessing mind meaningful There has never been a day in my life when I was not in love. Edward Abbey A genius is always on duty; even his dreams are tax deductible. Edward Abbey duty genius dream Our job is to record, each in his own way, this world of light and shadow and time that will never come again exactly as it is today. Edward Abbey light photography jobs Our modern industrial economy takes a mountain covered with trees, lakes, running streams and transforms it into a mountain of junk, garbage, slime pits, and debris. Edward Abbey lakes running tree The domination of nature leads to the domination of human nature. Edward Abbey domination human-nature nature A good writer must have more than vin rosé in his veins, use more than Chablis for ink. Edward Abbey ink use rose Late in August the lure of the mountains becomes irresistible. Seared by the everlasting sunfire, I want to see running water again, embrace a pine tree, cut my initials in the bark of an aspen, get bit by a mosquito, see a mountain bluebird, find a big blue columbine, get lost in the firs, hike above timberline, sunbathe on snow and eat some ice, climb the rocks and stand in the wind at the top of the world on the peak of Tukuhnikivats. Edward Abbey cutting august running All dams are ugly, but the Glen Canyon Dam is sinful ugly. Edward Abbey canyons ugly dams Jack Kerouac, like a sick refrigerator, worked too hard at keeping cool and died on his mama's lap from alcohol and infantilism. Edward Abbey mama alcohol sick Why do I write? I write to entertain my friends and to exasperate our enemies. To unfold the folded lie, to record to truth of our time, and, of course, to promote esthetic bliss. Edward Abbey writing lying enemy Do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast... a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. Edward Abbey climbing half adventure Fence straddlers have no balls. In compensation, however, they enjoy a comfortable seat and can retreat swiftly, when danger threatens, to either side of the fence. There is something to be said for every position. Edward Abbey retreat balls sides God is a sound people make when they're too tired to think anymore. Edward Abbey tired positive thinking If industrial man continues to multiply his numbers and expand his operations he will succeed in his apparent intention, to seal himself off from the natural and isolate himself within a synthetic prison of his own making. Edward Abbey succeed numbers men All men are brothers, we like to say, half-wishing sometimes in secret it were not true. But perhaps it is true. And is the evolutionary line from protozoan to Spinoza any less certain? That also may be true. We are obliged, therefore, to spread the news, painful and bitter though it may be for some to hear, that all living things on earth are kindred. Edward Abbey brother secret men High technology has done us one great service: It has retaught us the delight of performing simple and primordial tasks - chopping wood, building a fire, drawing water from a spring Edward Abbey technology simple spring I do not believe in personal immortality; it seems so unnecessary. Show me one man who deserves to live forever. Edward Abbey men believe death Running the big rapids is like sex: half the fun lies in the anticipation. Two thirds of the thrill with the approach. The remainder is only ecstasy-or darkness. Edward Abbey running fun sex