The Desert by John Van Dyke by J.C. Van Dyke

The Desert by John Van Dyke Reviews

• 
  Jeff

  A classic - a must read primer for lovers of the desert southwest.
• 
  Richard Downey

  John Van Dyke's book is THE seminal book on desert writing. He is specifically talking mostly about the Mojave, Colorado, and Sonoran deserts his observations can be applied to most deserts around the world. He is by profession an art critic, and brings that critical eye to the experience of being in and traveling through the desert. This is the second time I've read this book revisiting it after a couple of decades and am still amazed at the power it has. It is referenced in other "desert writers like Edward Abbey and Joseph Wood Krutch. I recommend The Desert to anyone who loved arid lands but also to those who are seeking a new way of viewing things.
• 
  A B

  
  This is a beautifully written book, more like a volume of poetry, that extolls the exquisite landscape, flora, and fauna of the desert. There are chapters and sections devoted to geography, weather, fata morganas, clouds, and even dust. What's charming to me is that this book is over 100 years old so it's a real treat to read about the same land and what it was like back then. For example, Mr. Van Dyke discusses in detail the Salton basin and how it became, through mankind's stupidity, the fabulous Salton Sea resort town. It's now a ghost town full of dead fish.
  
  It's not a book to read quickly, but rather in small snippets to appreciate the use of language and love of the land. If you've never seen the desert, this book will fill the void until you can see it for yourself.
  
  I had no idea that a jackrabbit is actually a jackass rabbit, named for the large ears that resemble the adorable long ears of donkeys.
  
  Here are some memorable quotes:
  
  "If we could but rid ourselves of the false ideas, which, taken en masse, are called education, we should know that there is nothing ugly under the the sun, save that which comes from human distortion. Nature's work is all of it good, all of it purposeful, all of it wonderful, all of it beautiful."
  
  (I'll have to use that as a response the next time sometimes rolls their eyes and says "Hmph, I could never live there, ew" when they learn I live in the desert.)
• 
  Elizabeth

  van dyke didn't actually take the brutal desert trip he writes about in this book. he wasn't a rugged frontiersman but an aesthete. his brother owned a ranch that bordered the mojave and van dyke relied on info from him and from books to write the desert. in other words, he dreamed it all up in his head. which made it all the more special for me.
• 
  William

  A beautiful aesthetic work. As is pointed out in the introduction, Van Dyke was not a biologist and gets many facts about the plants and animals he describes wrong. I also found his brief descriptions of Native Ameicans to be a bit dehumanizing, as if they animals part of the landscape. However Van Dyke's background in art history shines through by describing the various natural scenes with a poets eye. If you're looking for an accurate description of the wildlife of the desert go somewhere else, but if you want beautiful descriptions of desert scenery there's probably not a better book from this era.
• 
  Pat Rolston

  The stark beauty of the desert is brought to life by this extremely talented author. While written over 100 years ago it couldn’t be more contemporary in it’s timeless poetic prose. This offers the reader a literary as well as learning treat. You need not travel to the desert to feel the heat, see the beauty, and find the magic from the comfort of your favorite reading spot.
• 
  Michael Brady

  Van Dyke understood the desert. He took the time to really see it. Most of what he experienced is gone now. There are precious few dry places you can visit now only on horseback where your reach is limited by the water you can carry. John C. Van Dyke can still take you there.
• 
  Kirk Astroth

  Ok book considering it was written in 1901 and the author did not even visit most of the places he describes and got some things just plain wrong--e.g. Gila monsters are harmless. But an interesting, lyrical description of the Arizona desert and canyon country.