Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Book Review: The Road

For those of you haven't read any of Cormac McCarthy's books, you are truly missing out on one of best writers of American Fiction. I personally wouldn't describe most American writers these days as writers of American Fiction, but rather feeders of American consumerism. Tom Clancy, Grisham, and Michael Crighton: all storytellers, sometimes short, sometimes long, but rarely do you feel the pain, the fear, the pale sun on cracked lips that McCormac makes you feel. American Fiction -to me- brings sharpened senses of what it feels like to live and be an American, what our darkest dreams are alongside with our brightest hopes, whether it's floating a raft with Tom Sawyer or walking a desolate road with an unnamed man.

Which brings me back to McCarthy and The Road. Wonderfully written, it made me feel as if I were walking the road myself, looking for something to eat, hoping for a safe, warm place to sleep. Be warned: this book is very intense aka scary at parts. But the way McCarthy pulls you in is almost hypnotic. I'd put the book down, only to pick it back up 30 seconds later.

It's new in book stores, but some other very good books by McCarthy are All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing,and Cities of the Plain. His book Blood Meridian is by far the most violent book I've ever read, but just as powerful as the rest.

I highly recommend The Road.

3 comments:

Alene said...

Ry- tyler said you had cool post about zion's so I checked it out. Anyway, have you read "all the king's men"? I know the movie is out now and I haven't seen it, but I read the book a few years back and it's great for character development, I mean the people are real, with real doubts, fears, faults, etc. I loved it.

Unknown said...

I haven't, but I definitely will. Thank you for the recomendation!

The Shavers said...

I remember when you read All the Pretty Horses. I mocked you because it is a chick flick. It's ok. I'm an ignoramous. I do have a literature-based question for you, Ryan a la Oprah's Book Club. Remember that book about the LDS perspectives of the origin of man. I think you bought it and read it, do you remember the title? Becks and I have been getting in some good debates and I remember reading some good things in there.
Anyway, I miss you like salty french fries!