Cities of the Plain

The Border Trilogy, Book Three

By: Cormac McCarthy

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

In his novels, best-selling author Cormac McCarthy creates a western landscape filled with characters that are both mythic and authentic. Cities of the Plain, the stunning conclusion of his award-winning Border trilogy, brings together John Grady Cole and Billy Parham—the two lifelong friends who began their adventures in All the Pretty Horses. It is 1952. As Grady and Billy work a remote New Mexico ranch, Grady falls in love with a young Mexican prostitute. Determined to free her from her owner, Grady embarks on his dangerous quest of the heart. Billy tries to protect and help him, but the forces at work soon demand sacrifices greater than either can control. Capturing visions of the American West during its last decades, McCarthy’s powerful work is destined to leave a permanent mark on contemporary literature.

©1998 Cormac McCarthy (P)1998 Recorded Books, LLC

Mejor cada tiempo

Third reading for me. The characters jump towards you
listening to this near perfect performance. Each of my three
experiences with this book have led me to higher and better places.
Unfortunately for me the current
versions of McCarthy can not
rise to the level of the three books
in the Border Trilogy and his earlier
work.

Astounding

The book and series are beautifully written, and the narrator is a perfect conduit for the words.

great lisyen

Would you listen to Cities of the Plain again? Why?

Yes. Reader and story are excellent

What did you like best about this story?

McCarthy describes things so beautifully that you think you are there

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

Good voice.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

fight scene near end

Any additional comments?

sometimes difficult to know who is speaking in the book, but this is true about most of Marcarthy's books.

A fitting end piece for the Border Trilogy

With Cities of the Plain, I completed Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy. He brings John Grady Cole and Billy Parham together in the last entry, who are the respective protagonists of All the Pretty Horses and The Crossing. Naturally, John Grady and Billy bond. This a story of friendship, love, loss, and the kindness and humanity of strangers and neighbors on both sides of the border. Wizened characters offer musings on a malignant yet redemptive world. We gain affirmation of lives lived. The prose will make you weep. And you’ll improve your Spanish. What more do you want from a literary master? The late, great Frank Muller's narration is perfect.

Wonderful Book!

The Border Trilogy moved me like no other books I have ever read. The depth of the characters, especially the main characters is outstanding. They made me laugh and they made me cry. The Trilogy would make a great mini series; although I'm not sure it would do the books justice.

All but an ending

I think I like this the best of the trilogy. The cowboy dialogue had me laughing out loud. Reminded me of my youth working on a ranch. It'll help if you have some vocabulary in Spanish, they break in and out of it all the time. I would only say he blew the ending a bit.

Great performance

Really neat performance, the execution of different voices in two different languages was superb. All and all perfect.

McCarthy can't be beat

Another masterpiece. This trilogy concluded so tragically I was crying like a baby on my drive home. I was not expecting it to go that way, even as much as I should have.

I just love everything about McCarthy novels. The vivid imagery and how it mingles with authentic characters who speak and think like real people, and the philosophical asides that cleave right to the bone of all knowledge.

It often feels like McCarthy must have some secret porthole through which he is gifted wisdom not bestowed on ordinary lives.

Great voice work

Always awesome writing from Cormac McCarthy! The story and characters and scenes are punched up tremendously by the reader!

Absolutely astounding and heartbreaking

The life and memories of an old cowboy continuing to haunt him. A must read for Mccarthy listeners.