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I read this while I was over in Thailand, as well as the Orchard Keeper, which I didn't like quite as much, but wow. Those of you that though Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men was the ultimate psychopath ain't seen nothin' yet. This book is loosely based on historical accounts of the Glanton Gang and follows them through the Southwest and Northern Mexico in the mid 1800's. They start out hunting Apaches, and have a $100 per scalp bounty to be paid by a Mexican Governor, but before long, they're killing and scalping anyone that crosses their paths. It's intense, gory, and violent, and the character of Judge Holden comes across as a bit of a wild west version of Hannibal Lecter, minus the cannibalism. It's a wild read, and highly recommended.
I was also interested to see that Ridley Scott has supposedly written the screenplay for a movie adaptation of this, and he basically says that it has to be true to the book... I can't imagine it getting anything less than an NC-17 rating. I'm real curious to see how it turns out, and to see who he casts as the Judge.
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One of my top ten favorite books. It's incredible.
I love McCarthy, but his writing style has changed over the years. His recent stuff is more Hemingway-ish (not as much flowery prose -- kind of stripped down), which I like. But Blood Meridian is beautiful in its descriptions and incredibly dense.
Good call, CC. It's an amazing book.
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I've had that book for a while and was going to read it after finishing The Road, also by McCarthy. BTW, I was slightly disappointed with the Road, which is also being given the movie treatment, and am not sure it will be all that great on the big screen. It was well written, but overall I was bored with it and found much of it quite repetitive. I wonder what Oprah was thinking ($)($) when she added it to her book club.
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<!--quoteo(post=300:date=Dec 1 2008, 08:55 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Dec 1 2008, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->But Blood Meridian is beautiful in its descriptions and incredibly dense.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It really is beautiful despite how disturbing some of the subject matter is. Such an odd juxtaposition.
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<!--quoteo(post=308:date=Dec 1 2008, 10:00 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Dec 1 2008, 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I've had that book for a while and was going to read it after finishing The Road, also by McCarthy. BTW, I was slightly disappointed with the Road, which is also being given the movie treatment, and am not sure it will be all that great on the big screen. It was well written, but overall I was bored with it and found much of it quite repetitive. I wonder what Oprah was thinking ($)($) when she added it to her book club.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I liked The Road a lot. Of course, I wanted to kill myself after I finished it...
I thought "the basement scene" was one of the most disturbing things I have ever read. That passage still haunts me.
I thought the father-son relationship was great and that's what kept me interested. The theme of a father that will do anything and everything to keep his son alive (in spite of the fact that there isn't much hope for long-term survival) was really well played out in the book.
Depending on the writer/director/actors, the movie could be pretty amazing.
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<!--quoteo(post=312:date=Dec 1 2008, 10:05 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Dec 1 2008, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=308:date=Dec 1 2008, 10:00 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Dec 1 2008, 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I've had that book for a while and was going to read it after finishing The Road, also by McCarthy. BTW, I was slightly disappointed with the Road, which is also being given the movie treatment, and am not sure it will be all that great on the big screen. It was well written, but overall I was bored with it and found much of it quite repetitive. I wonder what Oprah was thinking ($)($) when she added it to her book club.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I liked The Road a lot. Of course, I wanted to kill myself after I finished it...
I thought "the basement scene" was one of the most disturbing things I have ever read. That passage still haunts me.
I thought the father-son relationship was great and that's what kept me interested. The theme of a father that will do anything and everything to keep his son alive (in spite of the fact that there isn't much hope for long-term survival) was really well played out in the book.
Depending on the writer/director/actors, the movie could be pretty amazing.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've kept up with the production of the movie, and think that Viggo is a good choice as the father. The stills look impressive, but anyone expecting a cannibal movie, as it looks right now, will be disappointed. Again, I didn't hate the book, just found much of the story to be repetitive. The father/son relationship is what saves the story, and it really IS the story. The ending was appropriate, but I saw it coming a mile away. Anyway, I'm still looking forward to the film.
And sorry to get off track, but I'm going to get to Blood Meridian when I'm done with Atmospheric Disturbances, another interesting read so far.
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<!--quoteo(post=316:date=Dec 1 2008, 09:11 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Dec 1 2008, 09:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->And sorry to get off track, but I'm going to get to Blood Meridian when I'm done with Atmospheric Disturbances, another interesting read so far.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Haven't heard of that one... As for BM, I couldn't put it down. I finished it in 3 days, which is rare for me, and I'm actually ready to go back and read it again, because I think I missed out on a little bit of the symbolism the first time through.
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<!--quoteo(post=320:date=Dec 1 2008, 10:16 AM:name=ColoradoCub)-->QUOTE (ColoradoCub @ Dec 1 2008, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=316:date=Dec 1 2008, 09:11 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Dec 1 2008, 09:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->And sorry to get off track, but I'm going to get to Blood Meridian when I'm done with Atmospheric Disturbances, another interesting read so far.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Haven't heard of that one... As for BM, I couldn't put it down. I finished it in 3 days, which is rare for me, and I'm actually ready to go back and read it again, because I think I missed out on a little bit of the symbolism the first time through.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's a strange story, and sort of hard to keep track of what's going on because all the characters appear to be insane.
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rok -- have you read Blood Meridian yet?
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<!--quoteo(post=13089:date=Jan 22 2009, 03:59 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 22 2009, 03:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->rok -- have you read Blood Meridian yet?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, started reading Suttree (also by McCarthy) first, not sure why. I have plenty of free time these days, so I should blast through that one in no time.
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after hearing you guys talk about his books all the time i think i'm going to give him a whirl. where should i start?
Life is a bitch, but she's totally doable.
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<!--quoteo(post=13193:date=Jan 22 2009, 10:58 PM:name=liner)-->QUOTE (liner @ Jan 22 2009, 10:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->after hearing you guys talk about his books all the time i think i'm going to give him a whirl. where should i start?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think Blood Meridian is his best work. But No Country for Old Men might be a good starting point -- especially if you liked the movie.
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<!--quoteo(post=13225:date=Jan 23 2009, 10:16 AM:name=veryzer)-->QUOTE (veryzer @ Jan 23 2009, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->books?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Books.
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<!--quoteo(post=13226:date=Jan 23 2009, 10:18 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 23 2009, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=13225:date=Jan 23 2009, 10:16 AM:name=veryzer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (veryzer @ Jan 23 2009, 10:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->books?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Books.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
can you eat them?
Wang.
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