We will have a short post tonight due to daylight savings time. Springing forward makes Titans tired.
Cormac McCarthy is quite the famous author. He has written 10 novels and I have read one of them. I picked up The Road because of it's basic premise. The book is essentially about a man and his son wandering around in a post-apocalyptic United States.
I don't know what might be wrong with me, but I have a thing for post-apocalyptic stories. I really enjoyed I Am Legend, Children of Men, On the Beach by Nevil Shute, Jericho, Robot Jox(!), and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. So, this book is just another in a long line of great post-apocalyptic fiction.
What sets this book apart, however, is its realism. The man and boy, who are not named, spend the book walking along a road. They have no goal short of heading south to avoid the coming winter. They work to avoid all others, as most other people have resorted to rape and/or cannibalism to stay alive and in power. McCarthy describes none of this graphically (short of one small bit of implied cannibalism), but the terror of what is going on is obvious.
This is the only book I have ever had a true physical reaction to. I could not read it past 9 pm, because my entire body would tense up while reading it and I would not be able to relax quickly enough to fall asleep. The tension is palpable on every page, mainly because anything can happen at any time. There is no sense of safety in the book and it is SCARY.
I really really enjoyed this book. I had to finish it quickly because the tension was starting to get to me, but it was great. I do not, however, recommend this book to everybody. If you are at all skittish, squeamish, or sensitive, do not read this book, it will seriously freak you out. However, if you really enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, or just a good suspenseful read, pick it up!
Cormac McCarthy is quite the famous author. He has written 10 novels and I have read one of them. I picked up The Road because of it's basic premise. The book is essentially about a man and his son wandering around in a post-apocalyptic United States.
I don't know what might be wrong with me, but I have a thing for post-apocalyptic stories. I really enjoyed I Am Legend, Children of Men, On the Beach by Nevil Shute, Jericho, Robot Jox(!), and Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. So, this book is just another in a long line of great post-apocalyptic fiction.
What sets this book apart, however, is its realism. The man and boy, who are not named, spend the book walking along a road. They have no goal short of heading south to avoid the coming winter. They work to avoid all others, as most other people have resorted to rape and/or cannibalism to stay alive and in power. McCarthy describes none of this graphically (short of one small bit of implied cannibalism), but the terror of what is going on is obvious.
This is the only book I have ever had a true physical reaction to. I could not read it past 9 pm, because my entire body would tense up while reading it and I would not be able to relax quickly enough to fall asleep. The tension is palpable on every page, mainly because anything can happen at any time. There is no sense of safety in the book and it is SCARY.
I really really enjoyed this book. I had to finish it quickly because the tension was starting to get to me, but it was great. I do not, however, recommend this book to everybody. If you are at all skittish, squeamish, or sensitive, do not read this book, it will seriously freak you out. However, if you really enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, or just a good suspenseful read, pick it up!
Oh, by the way, apparantely this is a Oprah Book Club book. I have never read another one of her recommendations, but this kinda shocked me. I mean, this is a book where people cool a baby with the intention of eating it. Not the kind of book I picture Oprah enjoying, but what do I know.
Tomorrow: XM Radio
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