The Joshua Tree

[The Joshua Tree. Cabot, Robert. New York: Atheneum. First Edition. 1970. 242 pages. Library of Congress Catalogue Number: 78-103073]

From The Inside Cover:

At the heart of Robert Cabot's remarkable first novel stands a Joshua tree of the High Mohave Desert. The novel's design centers on a meeting, mediated by the Joshua tree, between old Will of the legendary West and young Lily of today's California. Will Spear: born on the Volga, escaping oppressions to a free life in America - cowpunching, hunting, prospecting, living with the Walapai Indians, mining in Death Valley, ranching in the Mohave - he lives out his convictions of rebellious freedom even as his family leaves him and the desert is threatened with death. Lily Tocca: from her wild childhood in the northern California mountains, forced into suffocation, unable to conform, finding drugs, finding despair, finding love, reaching the high desert, she receives the legacy of Will's uncompromising freedom. Their experience is both a generational rejuvenation and a personal redemption.

Rather than reconstruct their past chronologically, Robert Cabot has created these two people in terms of their perceptions of each other and their mingled memories of their separate selves. Their past is entirely their present, an undifferentiation of time. To deepen this present, not only is memory treated as an immediate perception, but words and symbols are included in the margins to suggest a subconscious and often archetypal counterpoint. This many-layered novel whose poetic associations hold a rich reward. The Joshua tree's promise is regeneration, these interwoven lives are its fulfillment.

Commentary:

Like the inside jacket declares, the lay out of this novel is not standard in any sense of the word. Expect to read a long narrative poem infused with Jungian psychology and symbols from native American sources. The Joshua tree itself becomes the all powerful divine source of life. From start to finish the reader must ask the real question: Was this author on Mescal or LSD while writing this masterpiece? Time is disjointed and the past and present become one vast canvass of life itself in all its glory. Because of the unique structural lay out the reader may have to re-read this novel multiple times to finally pick up the nuances the author wanted to tell his audience. If you are a fan of Ezra Pound, Robinson Jeffers, and Jim Harrison, you will fall in love with this work.

About The Author:

Robert Cabot has known the American West since the 1930's. While writing The Joshua Tree he lived in the Mohave Desert and in the mountains of northern California. Born in Boston, Cabot enlisted under-age as a private in World war II. With an A.B. from Harvard and an LL.B. from Yale, he has worked in many parts of the world. He now (as of 1970) lives in Rome with his Greek Wife. All updated biographical information about the author can be had at: www.robertcabot.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abigail: A Journey of Love and Transformation

Image
When Abigail the cat first came into Jerry's life from the no-kill shelter, she was a troubled child who had been brought back to the shelter from folks who didn't want to deal with her. Her past was marked by abandonment and rejection, leaving her wary of human affection and trust. Jerry picked her for this reason. Jerry and Abigail bonded over time. Despite her troubled beginnings, Jerry saw in her a spark of potential, a glimmer of hope that could transform her life The early days with Abigail were not easy. She was a biter and scratcher in her youth, expressing her fear and confusion through aggression. Jerry had the marks to prove it, but he never gave up on her. He understood that her behavior was a cry for help, a manifestation of her unresolved trauma. With patience and persistence, Jerry worked to gain her trust, a process that required not only physical healing but emotional growth as well. Jerry's approach was one of unconditional love and unwavering commitment. ...
Read more

Poets Live Ordinary Lives

Image
  "Remember, most poets live very ordinary lives. Yes, now and again you write a poem, and perhaps six, eight, or ten, or twelve times in your life if you're lucky, you collect them into a book and then there'll be worries about acceptance and rejection - what an editor will think - galleys to go over for errors, and finally presentation copies to give your friends - even some reviews, and maybe some readings, or a guest appearance, such as this one. But for every one of those, there are hundreds - there are thousands - of nights when you go to bed and lie there, once more, thinking about things you'll never remember in the morning, and hundreds - thousands - of mornings when you'll get up, still tired, and put up a pot of coffee and wait for it to drip through and decide it was silly not to have washed those dishes last night because you have to do it now. That's what poets do. That's what their lives are like..." Page 34 Dark Reflections by Samuel R....
Read more

The Einstein Intersection: A Journey Through Science Fiction and Reality

Image
  The "Einstein Intersection" is a fascinating concept that merges science fiction with scientific theory, particularly the ideas of Albert Einstein. This intersection exists in various forms, from literature to theoretical physics, and provides a unique lens through which we can explore the boundaries of human understanding. The term "Einstein Intersection" is often associated with the science fiction novel "The Einstein Intersection" by Samuel R. Delany. Published in 1967, the novel won the Nebula Award for best Novel and is considered a classic in the genre. The story is set in a future Earth where humanity has evolved into new forms, and the protagonist, Lobey, embarks on a quest that echoes the Greek myth of Orpheus. Delany's narrative explores themes of identity, change, and the nature of reality, all within the framework of Einstein's theories of relativity. Samuel R. Delany's novel delves into the implications of Einstein's theories...
Read more