The Fool S Progress

The Fool's Progress, the "fat masterpiece" as Edward Abbey labeled it, is his most important piece of writing: it reveals the complete Ed Abbey, from the green grass of his memory as a child in Appalachia to his approaching death in Tuscon at age sixty two. When his third wife abandons him in Tucson, boozing, misanthropic anarchist Henry Holyoak Lightcap shoots his refrigerator and sets off in a battered pick-up truck for his ancestral home in West Virginia. Accompanied only by his dying dog and his memories, the irascible warhorse (a stand-in for the "real" Abbey) begins a bizarre cross-country odyssey--determined to make peace with his past--and to wage one last war against the ravages of "progress." "A profane, wildly funny, brash, overbearing, exquisite tour de force." -- The Chicago Tribune

Henry Lightcap, a man facing a terminal illness, sets out on a trip across America accompanied only by his dog, Solstice, and discovers the beauty and majesty of the Southwest.

At a midget football banquet, five fathers attend to honor their sons and end up poisoned. Four survive, while one ends up dead. The Lonely Detective is one of the survivors, and suddenly, hes got a new, dastardly case on his hands. Who would try to poison a man at an event intended to honor his own son? The Lonely Detective first interviews the wives, his own included, to see if any of the women had opportunity or motive. He has to face the facts: everyone is a suspect. Along the trail, there are emotional social workers concerned with the childrens mental health. There are also cautious, politically correct detectives who do nothing but get in the way. In the wives, there is no shortage of suspicion, as the Lonely Detective discovers poverty, jealousy, and vengeance. Oh, and theres the bit about a mistress. Next up are the literary agents, out for a book deal, and TV personalities, too. The dead mans memorial is replete with media and cheerleaders. Honestly, the Lonely Detective cant get a break until his case breaks itself apart.

Delves into the private life of twentieth-century American novelist and environmentalist Edward Abbey, or "Cactus Ed," showing the man behind the persona he put forth as a writer and a public speaker.

This book presents a provocatively, outrageously assertive exposure of fools in their not infrequently bizarre manifestations, the object being to leave no halfwits behind. It explores the world of the fool from many perspectives, including Engines of Limited Cognition: Dumb Bells, Dumb Clucks and Dumb Waiters; Imprudence and Its Imbecilic Implications; Fools, Eccentrics & Sons of Momus; and Idiotic Opportunities: Putting Fools to Work. This is not to infer (or even hint) that either the author or his readership is in any demonstrable sense of the word foolish, now or at any other time. After all, no fool would write a book like this, and no fool would read it. Precisely who does read it is a discretely personal decision we leave to those gifted with more than ordinarily inquiring minds. Indeed, those who elect to come along for the ride are likely to find their minds piqued, tickled and enriched by this tour de farce. True to form, Reed illustrates Ambrose Bierce's definition of educational -- 'that which discloses to the wise and disguises from the fools their lack of understanding.' Abundantly documented, endlessly subtle, hopelessly eccentric and deadly funny, the book blends history, sociology, literature, philosophy, etymology and even theology, all with a good laugh.

Archetypes in various guises can be found among the twenty-two Tarot trumps. Above them stands the Fool as the archetype of an eternal pilgrim, who in this fantasy novel threads his way through the labyrinth of the world.

Raised in a world of material wealth but emotional emptiness, Siddh embarks on a daring odyssey of self-discovery, yearning to break free from the suffocating confines of his father's empire. With his grieving mother unable to stop him, he ventures far from home where he stumbles upon a compassionate stranger named Vinayak, whose hotel becomes a sanctuary for Siddh’s troubled soul. Haunted by grief and melancholy, Siddh reluctantly accepts Vinayak’s offer to be his guide on his ‘fool’s journey’. As Siddh learns to fight his inner demons, Vinayak introduces him to the profound wisdom of ‘self-presence’, a unique philosophy that promises inner peace, mindfulness, and contentment. Through the power of meditation and self-expression, Siddh undergoes a remarkable transformation, finding solace in the support of kind souls he encounters along the way. Yet, even as Siddh’s pursuit of meaning becomes easier, his dream of mending the fractured bonds of his family remains distant. Will he find a way to reconcile with his estranged father and reunite his family? Will he be able to look past the veil of his father’s indifference? Or will he discover the truth too late? Will Vinayak prove to be the mentor Siddh desperately needed in his life? A Fool's Journey is a captivating tale of personal struggle and evolution that explores the depths of human emotions and the pursuit of true happiness, reminding us that age is no barrier when it comes to seeking one’s sense of self. Join Siddh on this inspiring adventure as he unravels the intricacies of self-discovery and finds that true fulfilment often comes from the most unexpected sources.