[Reading this at the writer’s group tonight. This won’t be here forever, but thought I’d share it. Devoted readers of my work may find a passage or two to be somewhat familiar. The first chapter draft — or intro, or whatever — is here.]
Removed so that I can edit and sell it. Thanks for your incisive comments.
Dammit, Chris. How can I ever snobbishly compare one piece of your writing with another if you never write anything shitty?
Wow. Not only is this really good, it’s very apropos to some things I’m currently thinking about.
Wow, that’s great. Bet the writer’s group didn’t find it too impersonal this time.
Your soul-sharing has impacted me, once again, as it always does. I know what you are talking about when you say that only out there, communing with the favourite place in nature one reverberates with, does life make sense, or actually, non-logically, the meaning arises from just being, living in the moment ...
Thank you, Chris.
Exceptional, Chris! Beautiful… And personal, a glass of wine shared amongst friends with a warm fire crackling at our feet. I can’t wait for the rest (either as previews or in the form of the finished product).
Chris,
Really like that last paragraph. It’s a great response to the idiocy of “What good is the desert?” Ed Abbey made the mistake of trying to answer that question, you correctly ask variations of the same question back at the questioner.
Nobody found it too impersonal, that’s for sure.
People did get the impression that my life in the Bay Area was a living hell, though, so I’ll be editing to make sure no one gets that impression.
tl;dr
Chris,
Thanks very much for sharing…everything; the story, your blog, your passions.
Though my Valhalla of choice is the Chihuahuan, I can fully appreciate your love of these harsh, but achingly beautiful landscapes. Doesn’t speak to a lot of people, and I feel fortunate to be among the few to whom the desert sings a special song.
Finally managed to devote a large chunk of time to read this. Totally loved it!
Damn - I wish I had read this yesterday. I drove past the Cima Dome and stopped to visit the Joshuas without knowing what a special place it was. It just seemed so. It was a fantastic drive all the way to Palm Springs through Kelso and the dunes and on to Amboy and 29. I also took the side loop to Mid-desert and Hole in the Wall. I can see why you are in love with this country.
I just now started to read the other writings on your site, after commenting on the one concerning the cross. I was struck by the reference here to a natural place being a cathedral, which I had said as well. My place in the desert is the Canyonlands area near Moab, where I’ve spent many cool nights admiring the Milky Way, and sunny spring days warming like a reptile in the bright sun.
I live in the Northwest now, and often pine for a piece of slickrock and some sage.
It seems we share the same reverence for places not yet been trampled, and sadness for those places that have.
Thank you for this fine piece. Struggling with writer’s block and a character in the Mojave Desert, your piece has refreshed my memories of being there seven years ago - but more than that. You capture place and personal transcendence with a sparse prose that is at one with its subject. ‘Chapeau’ as they say here!