Reddit reviews The Monkey Wrench Gang (P.S.)

The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey.

Running After Antelope
Running After Antelope by Scott Carrier. The man is clearly insane, but his insanity is the sort that allows others to see the world in new ways. The whole expanding of mental horizons is the point of living, for me, so I really enjoyed this book.

Medea
Medea by Christa Wolf. I've always had a thing for ancient Greek stories. That combined with Christa Wolf's ability to discuss modern issues in surprisingly subtle ways and this was as much a book made for me as a book that was not made for me could be.

The Monkey Wrench Gang
The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey. I really liked this book when I was a teen. I haven't read it in a while so I'm not sure if it hold up in adulthood or if it sort of goes the way of Fight Club, but as it's a bit of a cultural touchstone I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it.

The Quest for Christa T
The Quest for Christa T. by Christa Wolf. Huh, I guess I'm going to mention the same author twice. This book really struck me when I read it. There are so many movies and books about the time surrounding and including World War Two that just paint the Germans as either villains or willfully ignorant monsters of genocide that a book like this which tries, I think, to communicate the destruction of the collective soul of the German people is at once refreshing and something that will leave you psychically mauled.

Newton's Principia, The Central Argument
Newton's Principia, The Central Argument by Dana Densmore. Newton was a badass. He had issues, sure, but the guy changed Western civilization. While I'm not a big math sort of person I really enjoyed this book because of how it allows you to get to know how Newton thought about these problems. I'm not really sure what sort of person wouldn't jump at the chance to get even a glimpse at a mind as clearly brilliant as the one Newton had. It was work to get though, but it was the sort of work that had a real pay off for me.

I would try to carve out time to see the Big Bend National Park in south Texas.

Also, tubing through Zion National Park in Utah is really a must. It rivals the canyon in jaw-dropping awe.

If it's your thing I'd also suggest reading The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey prior to your trip.

flagstaff is very close to the canyon and was a favorite spot during a similar trip i made about 15 years ago. Not sure what it's like now though.

If you're interested in environmental issues at all I suggest Edward Abbey, "The Monkey Wrench Gang" and "Desert Solitaire" are both excellent.

Additionally, I feel like it doesn't even need to be said but "The Hobbit" and the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien are amazing.

I am currently reading;

• The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey
  
  
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
  
  
• The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams
  
  
• The Adventures of Theodore Roosevelt by Theodore Roosevelt (edited by Anthony Brandt)
  
  
  
  
  I read books like most people watch TV shows (switching from one to another) so I usually am reading 3-6 books at a time. The first two in my list are both books I am rereading and I would always recommend them if you have never read them. The Secret Life of Violet Grant is actually much better than I was expecting and I would totally recommend it if you enjoy period fiction (it jumps back and forward between Kennedy-era Manhattan and World War I Europe).
  
  I have read "The Alchemist" before, but it's been a couple years, I remember liking it.