Harper Perennial Fire on the Mountain

Well-written with an engaging storyline, but somewhat sad towards the end. However, highly recommended reading. Just a shame Edward Abbey is no longer with us, since he had a knack for spinning a good story, much of which was based on his own experiences. As a consolation, I am about to read Black Sun, followed by James M. Cahalan's biography, Edward Abbey: A Life.

In the fictional "Fire on the Mountain," published in 1962, it's pretty clear that Edward Abbey's ideas about individual liberty and wilderness preservation are pretty well developed, but not yet completely evolved. That philosophical evolution comes to it's glorious apex in "The Monkeywrench Gang," a dozen or so years down the road, but nevertheless, "Fire on the Mountain," is vintage Abbey of his "Desert Solitaire" period and well worth reading. The way I read Abbey, it's clear he inserts himself into his fictional characters. Fire on the Mountain is no exception and you can see Abbey in all three of the heroes of the book. The book itself is about an aging, but very spirited and independent small rancher, John Vogelin, who's ranch property in New Mexico unfortunately butts up against the White Sands Missile Range, which for purposes of "national security," is being expanded in area. Vogelin's ranch will become part of the WSMR and Vogelin won't have a choice in the matter. Vogelin then fights back. The other heroes are Vogelin's junior-high age grandson, Billy Starr (Billy's from the East and he's on summer vacation -- he visits his grandpa every summer) and his onetime ranch hand-turned-real estate entrepeneur (and idol of young Billy), Lee Mackie. The story is about Vogelin's bitter struggle with the US government and the bureaucrats working for the "G" in charge of getting Vogelin to accept the government's terms (generous for those days) and get Vogelin "resettled." Vogelin won't leave his ranch and indicates he'll shoot and kill "the first man that touches my ranch house" and that he'll have to be killed by the US Marshals in order to leave. Billy loves the land as much as his grandpa and would stay to the death with him if he could. Mackie is torn between sticking with the old man and persuading him to accept the reality -- and inevitability -- of the situation and leave peacefully with his life and a fattened bank account. Vogelin won't take the government's money and he refuses to leave. Abbey's utter contempt for a governmental institution that would take away our personal liberty while destroying wilderness is expressed in the resolute John Vogelin as he struggles against all odds to keep his ranch and his land. The impersonal, yet slick bureaucrats in charge of trying to get him off his land and their less-than-bright operatives providing the muscle are both treated with equal disdain by Abbey in the book. Vogelin's ranch land is part of a wild, rugged, spectacular high desert landscape and with Abbey describing Vogelin's, Billy's and Lee's various sojourns into the surrounding land and mountains, it's clear he's traveled those roads and trails on horseback as did his heroes. In my opinion, Abbey is almost peerless in his ability to describe the often overlooked subtleties in a wilderness landscape -- especially of a desert wilderness. Sometimes, it's those little points of observation by Abbey that helps us to see even more in what is already stunning beyond imagination. I digress, but the fun part is to walk those same trails, ride those same rivers and trails and put one's own powers of observation to work.... There are a number of twists and turns in the plot, but in general, it's a pretty straightforward and credible story. I'm not going to give away the ending, but it's a good one and one I think an Abbey reader would like. I think Ed saw himself in all three of his main characters at that point (and throughout the book -- even in the conflicted Lee Mackie) and in some way, it was a bit prophetic too, as he faced his own mortality in the late 80s. I'll give it 5 stars, with the caveat that while it's probably not his best work -- it's still really good.

Edward Abbey is the best writer the American West ever saw. Compared to the anger in his books The Monkey Wrench Gang and Hayduke Lives!, or the stoic resistance of the hero in Brave Cowboy, this book is downbeat and its ending sombre. However the author's love for the barren rocks of New Mexico still shines through, and whilst, as in his other books, Abbey is careful not to paint the forces of modernity as pantomime villains, it is clear that Abbey mourns the loss of the Old West deeply. For many in America, from George W Bush downwards, the West is remembered as the beginning of the era of modern America, Capitalist, violent and ecologically destructive. But for Abbey the West was an ending, the last time that individuals mattered more than the state and Nature was respected rather than exploited. Not his best book, but well worth reading.

I found this book as it was based on a historical marker in southern New Mexico; That is where my interest in this book was piqued. The premise of this book is intriguing: a rugged individual facing off against an overpowering state, echoing the classic David vs. Goliath trope from old Western genres. The plot centers on an elderly rancher in New Mexico who resists being forced off his land to make way for the White Sands missile testing site. The book underscores the inevitability of change and the harsh reality that it brings when you try to resist it. One of the book's greatest strengths is the author's vivid portrayal of the New Mexico landscape. The land itself becomes a central character, described with such detail and reverence that it feels alive. The author's intimate knowledge and deep appreciation of the environment shine through, making the setting almost palpable. This evocative depiction highlights the beauty and harshness of the terrain, illustrating its impact on the characters' lives and decisions. Ultimately, the real hero of the story is the land itself. The author's skillful depiction of the New Mexico landscape captures its timeless and resilient nature. The narrative conveys a powerful message about the enduring spirit of the land, which belongs to no one and will outlast all who try to claim it.

marvellous details to be read again and again