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What book(s) are you currently reading or listening to? June 09 (discuss.online)
submitted 1 week ago by dresden@discuss.online to c/books@lemmy.world
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What have you been reading or listening to lately?

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[–] hakase@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

About a third of the way through Blood Meridian. Basically just feels like more of The Road but less gloomy and with more of the old ultraviolence.

Claims that this is the Great American Novel leave me mystified. I realize that this book as an "anti-western" isn't doing quite the same thing as the morally gray Spaghetti Westerns were, but I still can't help but think that they did it better.

Probably won't read any more McCarthy after this.

[–] steel_for_humans@piefed.social 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Probably won't read any more McCarthy after this.

So is this your first McCarthy novel? I consider him one of my favorite authors, but "Blood Meridian" was nothing special to me. Neither was "The Road" which is always highly praised and was my first book of his. The reason why I consider McCarthy a great author is his Border Trilogy, starting with "All the Pretty Horses", it was so atmospheric and touching. There is always some violence but the focus of those books is elsewhere, it hits hard in the feels ;) So maybe, before you decide never to give him another chance, try that one more book. If you do, I'd love to hear about your experience.

[–] hakase@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago

Thanks so much for this comment! I'll definitely try All the Pretty Horses before I make up my mind!

[–] nirodhaavidya@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

This one ended up on my DNF list. I heard the buzz about it and wanted to see what the fuss was all about. But I just didn't see it.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I will never understand all the hype placed behind “The Road”.

[–] hakase@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 week ago

Same. It was fine for post-apocalyptic lit but nothing spectacular.