All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Remember when I said that Roth was the best living American author? McCarthy knows I shouldn’t have said that. The proof is in this book. Right on page 59. “I dont see how you can say somebody is just flat out the best.” The man must be watching me. And that scares the crap out of me knowing all the sheer terror he arouses in me just reading his words. He creates a lot of black-souled characters (e.g. Chigurh from No Country; The Judge from Blood Meridian) who really curdle your blood or else good people who experience truly horrifying things (The Road), which curdles your blood as well. He’s good at that. He’s also good at other things: winning awards, being reclusive, slouching during an interview (suck on that body language, OPRAH), and not graduating from the University of Tennessee.

But this book, let’s talk about this book. Teenage cowhands, John Grady Cole and Lacy Rawlins decide to venture out on their own and cross the border into Mexico to find work at a hacienda. John Grady starts fancying the owner’s daughter, and although I haven’t seen the movie, I think the movie really romanticizes this relationship, but in the book, it’s not the biggest part of the plot but rather just one aspect. John Grady and Rawlins eventually have to part ways and it is, in a word, heartbreaking. John Grady then finds himself in a Mexican prison and this is where classic McCarthy shows himself and we see the horrible measures John Grady has to take to exonerate himself by force.

One of the many things I liked so much about The Road was the deep and caring filial affection the man showed for the boy. Given the circumstances, I think it was a father-son relationship at its best with the man showing a hardy resolve and not expecting his son to be any older than he was. Without being cloying, McCarthy makes John Grady and Rawlins’ friendship much of the same and it is fun to see them tackle difficult situations, especially as young men, together.

The writing is also incredible. It’s so minimalist and again reminded me of Carver of the west, although McCarthy does take more liberties with his talent and will occasionally type up long descriptive sentences that are usually breathtaking. I highly recommend this book to anybody and I stress anybody because I can’t picture anybody not liking it. It’s amazing and the best part is that it’s the first book of the Border Trilogy so there’s plenty more gold to mine.