The Curious story of Edward Abbey | Sean Prentiss | TEDxUIdaho

Sean Prentiss is the author of the memoir, Finding Abbey: A Search for Edward Abbey and His Hidden Desert Grave, which won the 2015 National Outdoor Book Award for History/Biography. Prentiss is the co-author of the forthcoming environmental writing textbook, Environmental and Nature Writing: A Craft Guide and Anthology. He is a 2005 graduate of the University of Idaho’s MFA program in creative writing.

Sean Prentiss is the author of the memoir, Finding Abbey: A Search for Edward Abbey and His Hidden Desert Grave, which won the 2015 National Outdoor Book Award for History/Biography. Prentiss is the co-author of the forthcoming environmental writing textbook, Environmental and Nature Writing: A Craft Guide and Anthology. He is a 2005 graduate of the University of Idaho’s MFA program in creative writing.

[thecussingkentuckian]

I'm torn. Ol' Ed would be heavily amused by his most fanatical fans, and disturbed by them at the same time.

If anyone ever pinpoints his final resting place, don't ever share it. He'd haunt that person until the end of time.

[BeggarsForSomeSoul]

I tell the story of the father and son searching for Uranium to my daughter and she loves it..Thanks Edward Abbey.

[WildSuns]

Sitting around a campfire in joshua tree a friend dropped this book on me and it changed who i am and my life also.. Just after reading it, Abbey died.. Ive read all the rest of his works also, one after the other... I have to mention the fools progress and how I hated it.. I cringed all the way through it but could not put it down and at the end I was gutted just as if my best and closest friend had just died... I read it again, and again since then... Every time it guts me, , that sense of loss, of great loss... A part of me dies with him in that book, , the part that needs to die to be who I truly am.

[chrispykelly]

EA would want to be remembered (if at all) for getting people to think outside their normal constraints. He would not want his final resting place to be known to anyone but the buzzards and bugs.

[captdoug]

The Emperor Wears No Clothes and The Emerald Mile. Some of the biggest impacts on my life.

[roguesodyssey]

Abbey was a big influence on my life too. I'm lucky to have grown up in his shadow in Southern Utah. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts spoke to my soul and taught me to strive for peace.

[uoqrvnq]

My book was The Monkey Wrench Gang. I ending up loving all of Abbey’s writings, Desert Solitaire included, but TMWG and Fire on the Mountain, probably two of his most traditional works of fiction, are the ones I hold closest. Like so many other kids somewhere between their 16th & 19th year on the planet, around that time I had a very big decision to make - where to go next. After spending every one of my previous years on the highly populated east coast, in the area between Philadelphia & Baltimore, I knew I wanted to leave… but go where? In the end, I found two things that helped me make that decision. One of them was Abbey. More specifically, The Monkey Wrench Gang, and the incredible descriptions of the desert Southwest’s beauty that he is so well known for. A girl may or may not have been the other. In the end, those two things propelled me to enroll in a southwestern University and I’ve been in this area of CA/AZ/NM ever since. I have yet to read Finding Abbey, but I literally just ordered it after watching this, and since trolling the Cabeza Prieta in an attempt to find that headstone emboldened with ‘No Comment” has always been something I wanted to do, I’m looking forward to reading about how it went for Mr Prentiss, and the experiences he had along the way. Thanks for posting this talk✌

[veganpunkrockowens]

This was absolutely wonderful. I only wish it were longer.

[suenodeoro]

Happy to have stumbled upon this. I was unaware of this new book, it has me curious.
...and it's time to revisit Desert Solitaire, again.

[matttoensing]

I’m a western grad. Read your book. I know dr John. Your book is awesome! Love the ted talk. Keep up the great work man!

[montana]

We need Hayduke now more than ever. Hayduke lives!

[njessica]

Great video, , I love books by Edward Abbey

[PatdavolioinNH]

I understand your passion, but Eds' resting place should not be turned into a tourist attraction.  I own your book, I bought it, but I wish you hadn't given away his secret place.  He did not intend for anyone to give away his grave site, and you shouldn't have.

[DougGrinbergs]

9:59 Abbey liked to say he was born in Home but was actually born in Indiana, PA 10:53 Jack Loeffler Monkey Wrench Gang manuscript 11:14 drinking in the desert with Doug Peacock

[jenhasken]

But he ended up living in Vermont? Lol anyway. I bought Desert Solitaire in my mid-20’s and now at 52 exploring the West for the first time felt this was the time to read it. It’s just incredible, and I don’t want it to end. I understand being that passionate about a great book and it can change your life!

[BrianDoherty-es]

Has SNL done a skit on Tedx Talks yet?

[georgitushev]

Lol! I had to reed for my pilot certification but instead i could not stop reading "The Monkey Wrench Gang" - I passed my exam with 90%, no problem!

[hinspect]

He was born in Indiana Pennsylvania, NOT Home Pennsylvania

[catahoulla]

peacock was the base for hayduke in monkeywrenchgang

[manufacturingcontempt]

false: Abbey was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania