So, I am almost done with "The Crossing" and will blow through "Cities of the Plain". After that, I will be finished with all of McCarthy's books to date.

I was curious, who here has read McCarthy's works and what are your favorite three? Mine, in order would be,

1. Blood Meridian
2. Child of God
3. (Tie) Outer Dark and All the Pretty Horses

I am one of the few on this site who actually rated his play, The Stonemason pretty high too. Anyone read that.

Discuss away!!!!!

Shame on me, but I've never read the novels of Cormac McCarthy. I went to the library on Saturday and the clerk added my name to the waiting lists of "The Road" and "Blood Meridian." I should be called to check out "The Road" in a week or two. I can hardly wait!

Blood Meridian is soooooo good. Love it.

I read "The Road" last weekend. The steady and enduring love between the father and son in a "world gone mad" was a fascinating story.

The Road was lovely, and my first McCarthy. I'm currently working on Blood Meridian, and I've picked up Suttree in the past.

I've heard McCarthy proposed to be the "modern Faulkner." What do you think about this?

Have you seen the Cormac/Oprah interview on YouTube? A beautiful man. Would have rather seen him interviewed by Charlie Rose however.


I read that Faulkner's editor became McCarthy's editor. I've only read "Sound and Fury" but I notice similarities. Similar mood.

Suttree is my favorite.

Seems like it's not popular to say but my favorite is All the Pretty Horses which won the National Book Award and was nominated that year for the Pulitzer I believe. I liked No Country for Old Men more than I thought. It's hard to pick one, but the opening to Suttree is just incredibly poetic.

I just started Suttree. I have only read 5 of his books so far and I think Outer Dark stayed with me the most, but I wont commit to that statement as the sentiment may change at any given moment.

I'm also excited for The Road film. It has a solid cast and will hopefully remain loyal to the source material.

I'm starting Suttree this evening.

My first book of his was Blood Meridian which hooked me into reading the border trilogy. The 3 books as a whole resonate with me as greater than the sum of the parts.

I like All the Pretty Horses quite a lot. But am not planning to see the movie. Anybody see that movie?

Who's going to be in the Road movie?

I saw the Pretty Horses movie. I remember I was excited at the time because Billy Bob Thornton was directing, but Matt Damon just didn't fit in my view.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/

appreciate it

Here's a link to photos of locations in Knoxville, Tennessee mentioned in Suttree:

http://web.utk.edu/~wmorgan/Suttree/sutt...

Judy, that is really cool. Thanks for that. I especially love the pic of the bootleg shack. Close to how I imagined it. Really fun.

This website is great! Thanks Judy!

I loved seeing the viaduct where Gene Harrogate lived and under the bridge where the ragpicker lived. My favorite photo was the sculpture of the man in the rowboat. Suttree himself?? That bootleg shack is wonderful too.


I read somewhere that this book is a semi-autobiography. I was wondering if anyone knows of a situation in Cormac McCarthy's real life where he may have sneaked out of a hospital bare foot and wearing only the rough linen gown. This is a theme that I've seen in (I think it
was) Cities of the Plain and twice in Suttree.

Although Suttree is certainly semi-autobiographical, and McCarthy apparently hung out in a lot of pool halls (undoubtedly with savory characters) in his drinking days, I think the emphasis should definitely be on "semi." But we'll probably never know for sure.

I've been in Knoxville several times since first reading Suttree, and sadly there isn't much of the old town left. Nashville's kinda the same way.

My Cormac reading is nearing completion as I have just received a gift of The Border Trilogy collected. Hey Cormie, get your old @ss in gear and grace me with a new masterpiece soon.

Oh, and that Sutree link is appreciated. I also enjoyed having a visual for that city rat Harrogates living quarters.

Just an FYI, I highly recommend John Emil Sepich and his notes on Blood Meridian and his contributions to literary essays and compilations. If you get a chance to get any lit companions to Cormac McCarthy, he is awesome.

(we also just happen to share a last name, wink :)

I'm about half-way through No Country for Old Men and I think I'd have to put this one near the top of my list. Next would be Blod Meridian followed by All The Pretty Horses.

I believe I have read all the McCarthy books. Do you’ll know about the McCarthy web site?

http://www.cormacmccarthy.com/

It is a great site with lots of esoteric debates of his work.

I read Suttree several times and lost count at 250 different named individuals.

I was raised in West TX and now have a ranch near Ft Davis TX. I believe several books mention places in and around that area and toward the border of Mexico. All of McCarthy’s books are very “true to the place.”

I too started with Blood M. The Road is by far my most loved.

Cormac is a god to me. That's all I can say. It's hard to pick a favorite because his subject matter varies even though the style remains the same.

Judy wrote: "

Here's a link to photos of locations in Knoxville, Tennessee mentioned in Suttree:

http://web.utk.edu/~wmorgan/Suttree/sutt...



"
Wow... I grew up in Knoxville and those pictures brought back memories of that town. I've not been there since 1987. I am definitely going to read
Suttree

Rex wrote: "Although Suttree is certainly semi-autobiographical, and McCarthy apparently hung out in a lot of pool halls (undoubtedly with savory characters) in his drinking days, I think the emphasis should d..."

Yes, Knoxville and Nashville has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. When I visit my family down South, I never am able to recognize the old South anymore.

Blood Meridian seems to be the masterpiece, but I personally loved:

1. Suttree
2. Outer Dark
3. No Country for Old Men

1. Suttree
2. Child of God
3. The Orchard Keeper

so far, THE ROAD, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN,and BLOOD MERIDIAN.
i need to read more of his!

All the Pretty Horses is my favorite of his to date; actually the entire Border Trilogy. I've just started The Road and find the reading rather difficult. I also don't see that it fits the "Southern Literature" genre as I think of it. How do others feel about that? I'll work through the rest of his works eventually.
Daren wrote: "Seems like it's not popular to say but my favorite is All the Pretty Horses which won the National Book Award and was nominated that year for the Pulitzer I believe. I liked No Country for Old Men ..."

All the Pretty HorsesThe Road

I would say just keep in mind that it is post apocolyptic grit lit. I think the style is still there, simple harsh and straight to the point. I thought it was a very strong novel on the emotional level. it had me up and down. Blood Meridian is next on the list for me. Maybe a little sci-fi in there.

Thanks Eric!

I finished it last night. As I got more into it, it became easier for me to read. As stated in my notes on the book, I especially like McCarthy's ability to convey the conflict between man/nature/other men/circumstances beyond his control.
As always, McCarthy elicits a strong emotion.
Eric wrote: "I would say just keep in mind that it is post apocolyptic grit lit. I think the style is still there, simple harsh and straight to the point. I thought it was a very strong novel on the emotional l..."

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Cheers the couple of his i have read have been just knock outs for me, luckily though for me i have more of his that i have not read then have which is somthing i always look forward to. I'm pretty deep into Larry brown right now, just discovered him last month. Wicked stuff there as well.

titles of larry brown's books?????

Joe
Fay
Dirty work
The rabbit factory
i beleive there are a few more and some short stories titles as well. really good stuff.

He's one of my all time favorites.
See his own area . . .
Gary wrote: "titles of larry brown's books?????"