We've been reading Edward Abbey's The Journey Home,...

Devine Lu Linvega's posts Post Back to profile

We've been reading Edward Abbey's The Journey Home, there's a whole passage in it that is a log of his working in a fire watch tower. It's funny to see his thoughts being so similar to that of long distance sailors.
#theLibrary

Like 29 Jan 2023 at 17:00 | Open on merveilles.town

8 comments

Jason

@neauoire I wonder how many writers took that gig (fire watch)?

Kerouac writes about it in at least two of his books.

29 Jan 2023 at 17:07 | Open on thevelvetedge.net

Devine Lu Linvega

@dbb seems like the ideal place to find the focus for that.

He says that he carries with him all the classic lit books that he would otherwise never read.

29 Jan 2023 at 17:08 | Open on merveilles.town

Jason

@neauoire I've wondered if it has changed much since the time the stories I've read took place (mid/late 1950's?). I assume there's a lot more automation now but maybe not?

29 Jan 2023 at 17:13 | Open on thevelvetedge.net

Devine Lu Linvega

@dbb he mentions that lots of the fire lookouts are being replaced by airplanes, for which one hour of operation costs 3 days' worth of putting someone there, but is more modern. Maybe now all the fire watchers are jobless, as he seems to think was going to happen in the book.