Wow.Wow.
Wow.
If David Sedaris ushered me back into the world of pleasure reading, Cormac McCarthy reminded me why I started reading books in the first place. THE ROAD is, hands down, the best book I have ever read. Ever. McCarthy's command of language is unparalleled, his imagery frightening and indelible. There are passages of this book that will remain with me to the day I die, visions burned in my brain as surely as if they had been seared with hot iron. This book is the essence of good writing, which is to tell a simple story--but tell it well. The writing is not just exceptional, it is miraculous. Epochal. I can't remember the last time I stopped to reread sentences just to marvel at their savage eloquence, but I did that again and again as I worked my way through this slim (but vast) novel. The ravaged world he has created has the terrifying feel of prophecy, yet imbued with a veracity so real and so awful that you wonder if McCarthy might not be a time-traveler, come back to offer a bleak warning. I am at a loss for words. Wow.
3 comments:
Hey, Matt. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hereby return the favor =)
I must say you've intrigued me about this book. I've never read McCarthy--reviewers always make him seem intimidating, but you make him sound fascinating. There are only, like, 5100 holds on it at the library, so I should get my copy sometime in 2012...
I got this book for Christmas last year. It is a fantastic novel. However, I read it at a not great time in my life and it put me in a dark place. It was just not a good time for me to read it.
I will say that I think the overarching thing that McCarthy is saying with this book is that the world is an evil, evil place. And try as we might as parents, we can't shield our children from the evils of this world. However, even amidst such evil, children's innocence, wonder and selflessness can still be there in spite of endless pain and suffering. Very profound indeed.
Holy Crap!! When I read this book, I thought about you, because of how much you like books, and because of how ridiculously good this book was.
I was ashamed however to text you with the recommendation because it was airport-bookstore-faire and I figured you would look down upon me. If I had only read further into the older posts on the blog.
I read it in 5 hours, while on airplanes. So, so good. In theatres now.
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