No Country for Old Men

Questions About No Country for Old Men

by Cormac McCarthy

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Answered Questions (20)

Will you recommend this book to me? Is this a fast/quick read?

Pam Stagg Absolutely fantastic read! Then see the movie, with Javier Badem as the maddest, baddest baddy you've ever encountered.…moreAbsolutely fantastic read! Then see the movie, with Javier Badem as the maddest, baddest baddy you've ever encountered.(less)

Why does he return to the site of the crime in the first place?

Milo Paulus Right in the beginning you mean?

I was puzzled by that choice as well at first but I re-read it, and it is insinuated that Moss felt bad for not helpin…moreRight in the beginning you mean?

I was puzzled by that choice as well at first but I re-read it, and it is insinuated that Moss felt bad for not helping the Mexican who asks him for water, so he returns to the site with a jug of water to give to him, but the Mexican is dead and mayhem ensues.(less)

Who were the guys that seemed to listen in a trailer to the conversation Carla Jean had with the sheriff? She apparently told him where Llewelyn was. How did she know that?

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

I found Mr. McCarthy's lack of quotation marks to be an annoying gimmick to draw attention to his style. The quality of the writing and the characterization alone were enough to set him apart. He stylistic affection has just served as a distraction. This is the first book I've read of his. Will the rest of his writing incorporate these artifices?

Liam Porter For what it's worth, I agree that it is a distracting style. …moreFor what it's worth, I agree that it is a distracting style. (less)

What year is this book set in?

Tom Gray Sometime in the early 1980s

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Unanswered Questions (2)

I keep wondering about Chigurh forcing the cylinder out of the lock with the air hammer concealed up his sleeve? If there is enough force to break the lock then there will be an equivalent force affecting the air hammer piston. The piston would be damaged. And even if the cylinder is forced out, there has to be means to move the latch. This is never mentioned and moving a damaged latch may not be easy or possible.

How did Moss survive hiking in the desert for hours with no water himself? Any hunter will tell you you need to bring a canteen with you.

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