(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ken Sanders, owner of a local rare books store, will lecture on illustrator R. Crumb and Edward Abbey Sunday, March 4, at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library.

R. Crumb meets Monkey Wrench Gang at Marriott Library

Utah literature » Local book maven Ken Sanders holds forth on a famous illustrator-author duo, and one of Utah’s best-known books.

By ben Fulton

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Feb 28 2012 04:59 pm • Last Updated Feb 28 2012 04:59 pm

Book hound and appraiser extraordinaire, few know Utah’s literary landscape on the level of Ken Sanders, owner of the local rare book shop that carries his name.

So of course Sanders knows more than most about Edward Abbey, author of such celebrated Utah-themed books as Desert Solitaire and The Monkey Wrench Gang. What may surprise you is that he knows more than just a little about famed illustrator R. Crumb, too. Crumb’s earthy, pungent illustrations came to define the characters of Abbey’s Monkey Wrench Gang, and beyond.

When Santa Barbara, Calif.,-based attorney Eric Hvolboll donated his collection of Edward Abbey materials to the University of Utah’s Marriott Library in 2008, it was a significant event for Abbey fans everywhere, Sanders included.

Sanders will be at the library’s Gould Auditorium Sunday, March 4, to offer his free lecture "R. Crumb Meets the Monkey Wrench Gang: Edward Abbey and the Modern Environmental Movement from Earth First to Tim DeChristopher."

A reception will be held afterward on the fourth floor gallery for "Brave Cowboy: An Edward Abbey Retrospective," an exhibit open to the public through April 27.

bfulton@sltrib.com

Twitter:@Artsalt

Facebook.com/nowsaltlake

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Ken Sanders lecture on R. Crumb and Edward Abbey

When » March 4, 3 p.m.

Where » Gould Auditorium at the J. Willard Marriott Library, 295 S. 1500 East on the University of Utah campus, Salt Lake City.

Info » Free. Call 801-521-3819 or 801-581-3421 or visit www.kensandersbooks.com for more information.

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