The Road (Oprah's Book Club)

Art is different from entertainment because art changes you, and this book affected me more deeply than any piece of art I've ever encountered. Not that I think it's perfect -- I see many flaws. But they don't matter. It accomplished its mission.

Cormac McCarthy has written the definitive literary depiction of the power of love. Although they were cold, dirty, starving, frightened, I was surprised to find myself at one point envying them, for they were nurtured from within by the power of love. Especially the father, as it's the nature of the parent-child relationship that the parent gives and the child receives. CM is saying, that when all hope is gone, love remains.

And he's done it so convincingly that during the days I was reading this book, when I had occasion to throw away some food, I found myself thinking "I wish I could give it to them." In some part of my mind, I felt convinced that these people really existed. That was how completely I entered into their world.

Caution: spoilers ahead!!

I have never cried so hard at any death in a movie or book. It started with the line: "when he lay down he knew that he could go no further and that this was the place where he would die. The boy sat watching him, his eyes welling. Oh Papa, he said."

I'm crying for the loss to the man, who showed so much courage, self-denial, sheer grit, and boundless love. We want to see that kind of all-out effort succeed and be rewarded, but life isn't like that. We know the horror the man must feel in leaving his son alone in that world, with nothing but a half a tin of peaches to sustain him. In his final gesture of love, the man declines the peaches and tells his son to save them for him -- for tomorrow, when he knows he'll be gone.

I'm crying for the loss to the skinny, starving boy, who has lost his smart, determined, vigilant and tender father -- the only thing standing between him and a horrific future as a catamite or cannibal's dinner.

And I'm crying for the loss to myself of the most inspiring character in the fiction world: a man with the strength to keep going, keep walking, keep searching, when almost all others have given up (like his wife) or given in to their basest instincts (the roadagents).

"The Road" left me knowing that love is all that matters, and determined to live my life out of that knowledge. I want to give up living from my mind and start living from my heart. Perhaps I will adopt a child. The story is more powerful than a thousand sermons.

Cormac McCarthy strips away all the superfluous stuff that has nothing to do with love. We don't know whether the man preferred to go out for sushi or steak, jazz music or country. Was he a lawyer, salesman or mechanic? None of that is essential to who he is. We don't need him to crack jokes or say profound things. All we know of him is what he does, and that's plenty. We see him putting his son's welfare first, over and over again. When they are hiding from the cannibals, he considers running to draw them away from the boy. That he himself will end up in that basement doesn't even figure in his decision not to do it -- only that he doesn't think it will work. His own pain weighs nothing when compared to his motivation to save the boy.

As for those who fault the man for not helping strangers -- I don't agree. Any morsel of food given to strangers is taken from the mouth of his son, or lessens his own chance to stay alive long enough to get his son south. He had to choose and he chose his son.

So the story had a deep emotional impact on me. But in addition, it is a story of ideas. How low can man go? What darkness beats in the heart of men, only thinly veiled by our (currently) abundant society? At what point is life no longer worth living? At what point should the strong drive for self-preservation be ignored, if it means committing atrocities on others? And lastly, to what extent am I taking life's current luxuries and comforts for granted?

I'm sure many a reader of "The Road" has collapsed into bed after a night of reading and felt immense gratitude for their cozy bedroom, their clean sheets, their fridge and a tasty midnight snack.

Things that troubled me about the story: I wanted them to stay longer at the bunker. At least to make full use of those provisions and take the time to fatten up and rest before heading on. They could've hauled a load of groceries off a mile or two and pigged out for a few weeks before coming back for more. The more weight they put on, the less crucial it would be to find fresh provisions when they finally did leave.

I wanted to see him make a major effort to find a way to disguise the trap-door to the bunker. It had gone undiscovered for almost ten years, if it was well hidden perhaps it could go undiscovered for at least a few more months.

Setting off the flare gun was irresponsible. They wasted a flare and announced their position, perhaps drawing the thief.

But those are minor quibbles. After finishing "The Road," I felt profoundly blessed, and cleansed from within from the tears shed. I knew I was in the presence of greatness. Cormac McCarthy has given mankind an immense gift, for which I paid only $7.99. Thank for Cormac McCarthy.

This is one of the best post-holocaust and parenting books around, and despite the Pulitzer it is undeniably a science fiction novel. It is the story of a man and his son, trekking across the wasteland trying to find a place where they can survive for the winter. This disaster that destroyed the world is artfully left undetermined as is the age of the child and the amount of time since the Fall. The world is beautifully described in a unique voice and the story is a real page turner...I literally could not put it down and dreamt about it for days.

The world is vividly portrayed with numerous examples of survival and human cruelty. Once the world is established, the author never deviates from the `reality' of this world. The characters are engaging, yet their situation is desperately hopeless...and Cormac manages to keep up that hopelessness through the entire book, gradually making it worse and worse. How, you wonder, how could they survive? Yet each new development flows logically from the world and is believable and gripping. Page after page, the man and boy struggle against starvation, the elements, cannibals, and their own hopelessness.

The only downsides are the prose, the premise and the ending. This might sound bad, but the good qualities more than make up for these weaknesses. Also, understand that this is intended to be a literary work, more about evoking an emotional state and asking philosophical questions than it is about exploring a science fiction premise. The prose is highly stylized with sparse punctuation. I found this annoying at first, but it grows on you and after a couple chapters the style is transparent. The premise is kind of silly--after all what could end human civilization, kill off all plant and animal life, yet leave humans and human artifacts undamaged? Nothing. But like I said, the focus is not science fiction so the setting is not intended to be realistic. That said, the extrapolation of how people might live in this condition is pretty good. Finally, there is the ending. The story is really about one thing: in this terrible and terrifying world, what is the point of living? For the father, it is the care of his son. But for the son... well that question is never answered. I found that to be the only true disappointment of the book... the question is asked a hundred times and the author offers us no answer.

Last, I consider this a book on parenting. As a relatively new parent, it made me rethink my values, my priorities and my relationship to my son. The man and the boy remain unnamed, they could be anyone. They are described in a manner that masks their age, ethnicity and background so they could be any man and his son. Their absolute devotion to each other is deeply touching, and as it is told through the man's point of view, we can see just how much he sacrifices just to give his son a chance at survival. While it won't tell you how to raise your kids, I think any father reading this will step back and realize just what a father's love really is.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece that will leave an indelible mark on your soul. With sparse yet poetic prose, McCarthy takes us on an emotionally intense journey through a desolate and merciless world, revealing the depths of human resilience and the fragility of hope.

Set in a bleak, ash-covered landscape, the story follows a father and his young son as they traverse a road to an unknown destination. Their world is ravaged by an unexplained cataclysm, devoid of life, and haunted by bands of desperate survivors turned savage. With every step, the duo battles hunger, cold, and the constant fear of being discovered by those who would do them harm.

What sets "The Road" apart is McCarthy's ability to capture the essence of humanity in its purest and most primal form. Through the profound relationship between the father and son, McCarthy explores the power of love and the lengths we go to protect those we hold dear. Their bond is both tender and fierce, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the surrounding darkness.

McCarthy's writing style is simultaneously stark and hauntingly beautiful. His minimalist approach, devoid of quotation marks and traditional dialogue tags, immerses readers in the characters' thoughts and experiences. This narrative choice intensifies the sense of isolation and desperation, echoing the desolation of the world they inhabit. The prose is poetic in its simplicity, punctuated by moments of raw, gut-wrenching emotion that will leave you breathless.

While the post-apocalyptic setting is undeniably bleak, "The Road" offers a profound meditation on the human condition. McCarthy delves into themes of survival, morality, and the fundamental nature of mankind. He explores the boundaries between good and evil, showcasing the lengths some will go to preserve their own lives, and the rare acts of selflessness that restore our faith in humanity.

Through its harrowing depiction of a world teetering on the edge of annihilation, "The Road" forces readers to confront their own mortality and contemplate the choices we make when faced with dire circumstances. It serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of civilization and the enduring power of hope, even in the face of unimaginable horrors.

"The Road" is not a book for the faint of heart, but for those willing to embark on this profound journey, it offers an unforgettable experience. McCarthy's masterful storytelling, combined with the depth of his characters and the weight of his themes, make this novel an absolute must-read. Prepare to be captivated, devastated, and ultimately uplifted by this haunting portrayal of humanity's struggle to survive in a world where darkness reigns.