Often called the godfather of modern environmental activism, Edward Abbey considered himself an anarchist devoted to drawing attention to the damage that was being done by government and business interests to our national parklands. Abbey found a ready following among those who were dropping out of society to find peace and solitude in the countryside and he inspired a generation of radical activists, most notably the environmental group, Earth First!, which impedes the progress of developers and of forest lands by sabotaging bulldozers and implanting trees with chainsaw-destroying spikes. Desert Solitaire is a collection of essays written about the deserts of the Southwest United States where Abbey lived and worked.