If you haven’t read Cormac McCarthy, that needs to change. His prose simply has no equal. The man was an actual, honest-to-god, national treasure. He was so formative for me as an author, and I’m just gutted by his death.

Be warned: if you’re going to attempt to read one of his books, you need to make sure that you have the time and space to give it proper attention. His work is heavy, like a slab of lead, and you need to be sure to give yourself extra time to digest things. But it’s so, so rewarding.

  • amcjv12@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Read The Road in high school and Blood Meridian in college. When I finished those books, I was a different person from when I started them.

  • Griff@beehaw.org
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Thank you so much for this guide! Hearing of his passing hurts and I hope his fans, friends, and family alike can find solace in the great works he has made. God knows this has finally convinced me to give Blood Meridian a try.

    • Leigh@beehaw.orgOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      Blood Meridian is stunning, but seriously–if you’re not in a good mental place, absolutely do not read it. It’s…well, ‘dark’ really doesn’t even begin to describe it.

      • PartyPooper@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I was reading it on an island in Thailand and I had to put it down for another time. It was bumming me out. Read it twice since, back in America.

      • IAmNoJedi@lemmy.one
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        1 year ago

        Thank you for this caveat. Depression is trying to kick me in the arse right now, so I’ll save it on a To Read list for another time.

        • Leigh@beehaw.orgOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Yeah, this one has a lot of existential dread about death and the human condition. It’s BLEAK. So if you’re struggling with depression, strong avoid.

          Get better, friend. I’m sorry you’re having a tough time with things. FWIW, I struggle as well with the same thing.

  • LilBiFurious@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    I had read The Road in high school and it did a number on me. It was so bleak and unforgiving, but also full of heart and was written in a way I had never experienced before. Honestly, most of it probably went way over my head. Years later I read Blood Meridian and Child of God and realized that I was reading what I still consider to be masterpieces of English writing.

    If you haven’t given McCarthy a shot yet, I implore you to check his work out. He may genuinely have been the greatest American author of all time.

  • k32481@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Can’t read the article as it is behind a paywall but I just started reading his books. I just read No Country for Old Men and am currently reading The Road. He has a unique writing style, at least compared to what I usually read. Any suggestions for my next read?

    • Leigh@beehaw.orgOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Blood Meridian.

      Does opening this in a private window or another browser enable you to read it?

    • DiscoShrew@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      I think you’re primed for the Border Trilogy. All the Pretty Horses is a wonderful book and The Crossing is considered one of his best. If you’re feeling like reading something more Faulknerian, his earlier work would be great. Child of God is a shortish read and it definitely leaves an impact on the reader, Outer Dark also being in that same vein.

        • DiscoShrew@lemmy.sdf.org
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          Of course, and if you really like his stuff, I would follow his adage, “Books are made out of other books”, and start reading McCarthys inspirations. Melville, Faulkner, and Flannery O’Connor among many others.

  • Cuddly Cactus@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    I read The Road and it just didn’t click with me, I finished it feeling like it was just “ok.” I think part of the problem was how much it had been hyped up by other readers and how famous it was and I went into it expecting to be changed when I came out, though I wasn’t. I’ll give McCarthy another try though, I have both No County for Old Men and Blood Meridian sitting on my bookshelf and I’ll get to them eventually.

    • LilBiFurious@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      The Road was definitely an outlier of his, but one that I still think is a good book. You’re right though, I feel like it got overhyped a bit, but I hope that doesn’t shadow his other work for you. No Country and Blood Meridian are both juggernauts and incredible pieces of fiction. If you haven’t seen the movie adaptation of No Country either I highly recommend it.