Yes, I've read Blood Meridian. Oh my! It's one of the bloodiest, most gruesome novels I've ever encountered and The Judge has to be one of the evilest villains in literature. But I have to say, it's a fascinating book if you can manage the violence.

Hmm, yes, McCarthy's writing is very Faulkneresque and he admits that Faulkner is a major influence. I'm not sure about a comparison to Frazier because the only thing I've read by him is Cold Mountain. I can't see the Hemingway comparison -- except, as you say, the use of brief sentences (sometimes). I enjoy Hemingway in a way that I can't say matches my experience with McCarthy.

Heh! The book is unusual and definitely not a "happy' read. I would say that's an understatement but a pretty apt description of all McCarthy's books I've read, which includes "The Border Trilogy" and Blood Meridian, but not The Road.

If you read Blood Meridian, let us know what you think.

I've been reading the reviews for The Road and really want to read it. I've only read his All the Pretty Horses. I don't know why I never read the other 2 books in the border trilogy since I LOVED the writing in ATPH. I think I just went on to other books and when the next one came out I forgot about reading it!

I'm going to put The Road on reserve right now.

I have The Road from the library and will read it as soon as I finish the newest Michael Connelly. Newsweek gave The Road a good review, so I'm anxious to get started.

Never read him, but he is on my list. This is Fall Fiction Week at slate and Jennifer Egan calls it a masterpiece in Men at Work, The literary masculinity of Cormac McCarthy

I'm down to being #2 on the reserve list at the library for The Road. Can't wait to read it. I've only read good reviews on it.

I just finished reading All The Pretty Horses and am the reviewer for this one at our next book discussion group. Blood Meridian is supposed to be incredibly graphic and his bloodiest,while All the Pretty Horses,his lightest for want of a better word. I loved this book,the starkness,the humor and the pathos he evokes with his characters. For anyone who has never read McCarthy,I would recommend this one as a start.

I finished The Road earlier this afternoon. I feel bruised, for lack of a better word. I think McCarthy's writing style, including his economy of words and the stark descriptions, are so perfectly suited for the subject matter and so powerful that I can't imagine anyone else even coming close if they had attempted the same story. What particularly amazes me is that even with his short sentences and blunt descriptions, the visual impact is so strong that I could clearly picture in my mind the world he was describing and even smell it. Amazing.

A masterpiece? Yes. Without a doubt.

Greetings to all,
I've fairly much made up my mind about the cause of the earth's condition in, "The Road." Anybody out there want to throw out their thoughts?

Hmm. That's tough, John, since McCarthy didn't leave many clues. If it was a man-made disaster, it would almost have to be a chain reaction of sorts (multiple nuclear attacks perhaps, considering the magnitude of death and destruction and the fact that buildings appeared to have been left intact) and the fact that the father witnessed a resulting cloud, from what I remember. If it was a natural disaster, I'm thinking maybe a super volcano (because of the ash that covered everything) or maybe an asteroid colliding with the earth.

What are your thoughts?