About the Book

The “poet-broker” Ed Rosenthal was inspired by surviving alone in the Mojave Desert for six and a half days without food or water. The lyrical result of his ordeal, "The Desert Hat," consists of 36 poems illustrated with 12 photographs of his hat and Salvation Canyon where he spent most of his time.

Rosenthal’s poetry does not recount his experience in detail; it is not replete with maps, photographs, and a day-by-day account of his adventures. Instead, we gain an insight into what it means to be truly lost and found, to survive the strangest of desert nights and return to the heart of the city… with a newly found wisdom and zest for life.

With an introduction by Ruth Nolan and photos by Maja Trochimczyk, and Ken and Wendy Sims.