2023 Shortlist

[Kyle]

I may have to put off some other reading plans to reread All the Pretty Horses. Dude was a massive talent.

[Nadine in NY]

I have never read anything by McCarthy. I keep thinking I should, but ... it never happens. Which book would be the best intro into his style?

[Kip]

Nadine in NY wrote: "I have never read anything by McCarthy. I keep thinking I should, but ... it never happens. Which book would be the best intro into his style?"

There are definitely a couple different styles in there but All the Pretty Horses is probably the most emblematic, I preferred No Country for Old Men. Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West is the answer if you want the most fucked up and horrifying book in his oeuvre.

[Kyle]

I'd say The Road, All the Pretty Horses, and No Country for Old Men are probably the best intro-to-Cormac books. If you like what you get there, Blood Meridian is deservedly his most respected but is Tough; Suttree and the other books of the border trilogy (The Crossing, Cities of the Plain) are also pretty damn good.

[Audra]

I DNFed Blood Meridian because I found it to be a slog. Perhaps I should revisit. I love No Country.

[BitterAndMurky]

I really liked The Road and you can watch the movie too, if you'd like.