On the Southern Literary Trail discussion
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Cormac McCarthy
Author: Cormac McCarthy
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Book Reviews - Cormac McCarthy
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Mod
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Child of God
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Suttree
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All of the above reviews are for books I haven’t read yet, so I’ll revisit these when I do because my goal is to eventually read everything Cormac McCarthy wrote. ‘All The Pretty Horses’ was my first McCarthy and rests on my all-time favorites shelf, but my Goodreads review for it was lost in a profile change. ‘No Country For Old Men’ was my second (review below), and I’ll be reading ‘Blood Meridian’ this fall with a small group. This should be an excellent, and hopefully expanding, thread.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Christian wrote: "My review of Cormac McCarthy's latest book, The Passenger.A story of grief and loss is always a tragedy, for what we feel a loss for, we are less, it becoming our reality—the lessor of us. Which i..."
Thanks, Tom!
Tom wrote: "I tend to find myself scratching my head whenever i finish reading one of Cormac's books which may be why I never get around to writing reviews of many of them. I have found a few reviews of his bo..."Blood Meridian is ... well, there are few books like it. Of his Border trilogy, I like the last one the best - Cities of the Plains.
I think he hit his stride between 1985 with Blood Meridian to 2006 with The Road (and his Pulitzer winner). The stuff before that, and the last two books were frankly not even in the same universe in terms of narrative, character development and his unique style. I think he found his true voice in Meridian, excelled in the Plains Trilogy, created the epic horror novel with No Country and an epic apocalyptic novel with the road. I can’t say that I appreciate his other work.
Christian wrote: "Tom wrote: "I tend to find myself scratching my head whenever i finish reading one of Cormac's books which may be why I never get around to writing reviews of many of them. I have found a few revie..."All good points, although, I do enjoy his early books.
Mod
Mod
I have found I have a hard time writing a review for most that I read but have also found I do best when I can read with a buddy or group to discuss. I certainly found this true for No Country and The Passenger. I haven't found one I haven't liked or really loved. I will say that I haven't finished The Orchard Keeper, my timing may have been off.
I have read Blood Meridian but will do a reread this year with a buddy group. I think it will add so much to my reading experience.
I plan to reread/relisten to The Passenger when my husband tackles it. There were many locations in the book I was familiar with because of where I grew up so I think that helped with the love of that book.
One set of friends sometimes ask what book would you take with you to a deserted island if just one....I wobble between To Kill a Mockingbird and The Road. Both have a child/father relationship that gets me in the feels every single time.
Like others, I began with All the Pretty Horses and ended up reading the trilogy. I have not read Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West or No Country for Old Men...steeling myself for those.Absolutely loved The Road
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and, Suttree
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a voice we were blessed to have, and one we will miss.
Mod
I too am "steeling" myself for Blood Meridian and think it would be fabulous (and comforting?) to do so with reading buddies.I also want to complete the border trilogy. Loved All the Pretty Horses.
I also think reading Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West with a group would be a good idea, Cathrine. There seem to be a few of us who are interested but hesitant, maybe we should get together and share the pain.
Sara wrote: "maybe we should get together and share the pain."I'm in for that.
Mod
Would Blood Meridian be eligible for a nomination?Or
Could we set up an honorary buddy read within this group?
Mod
Tom wrote: "Either, but you should probably try nominating it first."For sure Tom. I just wasn't sure it was eligible. Expect to hear from me for the September noms.
Tom, no problem - and thanks. Lots of comments on Blood Meridian... For those intending on reading it, the one thing I would note is this, consider while reading it how McCarthy wrote it in a tight 3rd ... meaning, he never gets into any of the character's heads. And given how violent the book is, this is an interesting choice, as we never know how the characters feel about the acts of violence they are committing ... and in doing this, McCarthy transfers the moral authority of the book to the reader. The book is based on actual facts, fictionalized. His main historical resource was a nineteenth-century memoir by Samuel Chamberlain, My Confession: Recollections of a Rogue, which covers Chamberlain's participation in the Mexican-American War, and as a member of the Glanton Gang, led by John Joel Glanton, and seconded by a man named Judge Holden. By basing his novel on a historical record, McCarthy was able to substantiate the violence men are capable of committing, and as he says, always will be.
Sara wrote: "Like others, I began with All the Pretty Horses and ended up reading the trilogy. I have not read Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West or [book:No Country..."Agreed.
On the Southern Literary Trail
Books mentioned in this topic
Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West (other topics)All the Pretty Horses (other topics)
Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West (other topics)
No Country for Old Men (other topics)
Suttree (other topics)
More...
A story of grief and loss is always a tragedy, for what we feel a loss for, we are less, it becoming our reality—the lessor of us. Which is this book—the acknowledgment of this.
https://www.thenelliganreview.com/com...