Binary_Digit Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I'm afraid to say how I truly feel, given all the glowing praise in this thread. Nonetheless, I won't pull any punches. I've only read one of Mr. McCarthy's books, and I don't believe I'll bother to read any of the others, despite how strongly many of you seem to feel. I hated Cormac McCarthy's The Road. His language is powerful, and his writing style is amazingly effective, but I can't shake the feeling that he is a bitter old man with no hope of his own. Perhaps it says something about me as a reader, that I wasn't able to pull anything positive from this book. It seems I have failed, where many of you have not, but I took nothing from this book but personal pain. I was in a very dark mood for many days after I finished the book, and truthfully, I resented the author for that. While I have the utmost respect for your opinions, I couldn't possibly disagree with them more. For me, reading The Road was akin to getting punched in the stomach. Although it was stylistically amazing, and compelling, and incredibly powerful, it used those attributes as weapons, striking a crushing blow to my spirit. I know this is an elderly thread, but I will pose a question nonetheless. Are all of Mr. McCarthy's books so dark and brooding? Is he capable of using his powerful prose to inspire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I enjoyed 'The Road' and 'The Outer Dark', they were both very bleak books but ultimately both books were about redemption. I could not get The Road out of my head for days, I kept thinking about the boy and what would happen to him. I read 'Child of God' earlier this year and I did not enjoy it as much, Cormac McCarthy has a great talent to create very realistic characters and tries on some levels to show them in a of good light (again, a small form of redemption), the main character of 'Child of God' was not a nice man at all, vey hard to read. In answer to Binary_Digit's question, the books I have read so far have been dark and brooding but I felt written in a powerful way. I think Cormac McCarthy is an author you either love or hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binary_Digit Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Gyre, Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I'm new here, and I'm thrilled at the prospect of discussing the books that have moved me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Gyre, Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I'm new here, and I'm thrilled at the prospect of discussing the books that have moved me. No problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernow_reader Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I'm afraid to say how I truly feel, given all the glowing praise in this thread. Nonetheless, I won't pull any punches. I've only read one of Mr. McCarthy's books, and I don't believe I'll bother to read any of the others, despite how strongly many of you seem to feel. I hated Cormac McCarthy's The Road. His language is powerful, and his writing style is amazingly effective, but I can't shake the feeling that he is a bitter old man with no hope of his own. Perhaps it says something about me as a reader, that I wasn't able to pull anything positive from this book. It seems I have failed, where many of you have not, but I took nothing from this book but personal pain. I was in a very dark mood for many days after I finished the book, and truthfully, I resented the author for that. While I have the utmost respect for your opinions, I couldn't possibly disagree with them more. For me, reading The Road was akin to getting punched in the stomach. Although it was stylistically amazing, and compelling, and incredibly powerful, it used those attributes as weapons, striking a crushing blow to my spirit. I know this is an elderly thread, but I will pose a question nonetheless. Are all of Mr. McCarthy's books so dark and brooding? Is he capable of using his powerful prose to inspire? I am with you on all points regarding Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" Binary_Digit. I was just too to say so on my own After reading it left me bleak and downhearted. On the other hand, despite its brutality I loved "No Country For Old Men" and also enjoyed "The Border Trilogy". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I can understand how you feel the way you do, Binary Digit. I don't agree, of course, but I understand it. The book is dark and bleak and brutal and brutalising, in its way. But to me, the story was an uplifting one of father and son and loyalty and survival in the most brutal and brutalised of conditions. Rather than leaving me in a dark mood, I thought the book had a really nice glow to it. The son always positive and always helpful and always trying to help others on the road despite the conditions all around. It was saying, to me, a lot positive about the human condition, that until we are informed otherwise by circumstances, the natural instincts are the loyalty and bond between parent and child; and the instinctive desire to help others given a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibackrow Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Here's my problem: I had a blind date with a guy who went on and on and on about All the Pretty Horses. I ended up not being able to stand this guy, after just this one date (he was so insufferable), and now I can't read any of McCarthy's books as a result. Weird, huh? Haha! This guy sounds like me! Seriously i never shut up about Cormac McCarthy, i have my (ex)girlfriends head done in about him, whenever i start a sentence she says "this better not be about cormac mccarthy". Then i say nothing. I recommended him to my dad and he goes "i couldn't read it, i kept running out of breath with all the 'ands'. " I looked at him and said " why were you trying to read it out loud?!" He didn't get it. I like the way McCarthy could set up a scene with endless prose then describe the action in one sentence of a few words. So like life, when anticipation is always ten times the length of any action! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I love Cormac McCarthy. He is a brilliant writer and his books are deep. He always writes with a unique plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I read The Road earlier this year, and loved it. Really thought it was one of the best books I have read in ages. Preferred it to No Country for Old Men, which I also enjoyed - however the lack of speech mark does take some getting used to. Binary_Digit - it's always interesting to read a different perspective on a book - especially one I either loved or hated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funrun Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 the road was okay found it little confusing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 the road was okay found it little confusing ! Just kidding. I have heard people say this before. I thought it was a wonderful book, but I definitely know what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterioso Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 You can tell how good McCarthy is by the amount of imitators he has. In several books I've read recently by new American authors you can hear and feel his tone in the text - but as they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! My personal favourite is 'Suttree'- bleak, blackly comic and a great study of the human psyche in its myriad forms...Brilliant... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 the road was okay found it little confusing I've got this book sat on my bookshelves. I keep meaning to pick it up but a few people have told me it's a bit slow so I keep opting for other books. I've also not read anything else by the author so I haven't got my own opinion to go by either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I've got this book sat on my bookshelves. I keep meaning to pick it up but a few people have told me it's a bit slow so I keep opting for other books. I've also not read anything else by the author so I haven't got my own opinion to go by either You should definitely go for it Nicola! It is a quick read and it is really interesting. I think you would enjoy it. If not you can blame me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I'm wary of reading this guy. All I have is No Country, and I love the movie. I attempted the book a while back and found the writing style a little deterring. I've heard it can be really off-putting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 You should definitely go for it Nicola! It is a quick read and it is really interesting. I think you would enjoy it. If not you can blame me Ok then Adam....count me in! I'll get reading asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 The best thing about 'The Road' is the fact it stays with you after you read it, a very powerful read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperplane Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 I have 'No Country for Old Men' it was kind of irritating to read, a lot of 'ands' for no good reason, although you do eventually get into the style of writing. The film version wins hands down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Harry Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I have 'No Country for Old Men' it was kind of irritating to read, a lot of 'ands' for no good reason, although you do eventually get into the style of writing. The film version wins hands down. I agree completely. How many 'ands' can you fit in one sentence?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 The best thing about 'The Road' is the fact it stays with you after you read it, a very powerful read This is so true. It really makes you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Cormac McCarthy to part with trusty typewriter. What a sterling idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raskolnikov Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have only read The Road and I am starging to read the Broder trilogy. The Road was intense, dark but for me it's not that depressing. I was crying at the end as the whole book is about sacrifice (that's maybe because I have a son / I did the same watching a Tarkovsky film called Sacrifice). The only reason the father did not suicide was his son. The moral of the book is humanist : that's the only but very important light in it. 'Four or five years ago, [my son John] and I went to El Paso, and we checked in to the old hotel there. And one night, John was asleep, it was probably about two or three o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbielleRose Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I just picked up a copy of the Road and will be starting it after I finish my current book. Everyone I've talked to who has read it says it is really intense and you either really like it or hate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Univerze Posted December 27, 2009 Share Posted December 27, 2009 Well, guess I am one of the few who didn't particularly like the Road. And you know, I can barely remember it. It didn't really make that much of an impression on me, maybe because I expected it to be. I didn't know there was a hype going on about this book when I read it, but the few reviews I did read were so very positive. I expected more I guess. Reading the synopsis still gets me interested, so might pick up this book again one day, I mean, it sometimes happens that a book that otherwise might have made an impression on me, doesn't affect me much because too much is going on in my life at that time (and that certainly goes for the last year and a half). I would have liked a little more on the cataclysm that happened, I am a sucker for apocalyptic settings, and as far as that goes, the book doesn't give me enough. As far as his other works go, don't know if I will be reading any of it. Just read some of what they're about, and a lot seems to take place in the USA, in time periods I don't really care about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtneysadancer36 Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 My dad has been recommending McCarthy's books to me.. I enjoy them, but are somewhat hard to understand. My first novel from him was the road, which I strongly recommend, but his method of not using many grammar marks and commonly having a sentence last a whole paragraph, sometimes get's confusing. Overall though, I do love his work. I just finished reading All the Pretty Horses, which was a good western fiction. I felt very attached to all the characters, and i would be very happy to be Alejandara;) Does anyone have anything to say about this novel? Anymore recommendations from McCarthy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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