No Country for Old Men

By: Cormac McCarthy

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Cormac McCarthy, best-selling author of National Book Award winner All the Pretty Horses, delivers his first new novel in seven years. Written in muscular prose, No Country for Old Men is a powerful tale of the West that moves at a blistering pace.

Llewelyn Moss is hunting antelope near the Texas-Mexico border when he stumbles upon several dead men, a big stash of heroin, and more than two million dollars in cash. He takes off with the money, and the hunter becomes the haunted. A drug cartel hires a former Special Forces agent to track down the loot, and a ruthless killer joins the chase as well. Also looking for Moss is the aging Sheriff Bell, a World War II veteran who may be Moss' only hope for survival.

Raw and lean, No Country for Old Men is another masterpiece from one of America's acclaimed novelists.

©2005 Cormac McCarthy (P)2005 Recorded Books, LCC

Critic reviews

"No Country for Old Men gets off to a riveting start as a sort of new wave, hard-boiled Western....Harrowing, propulsive drama." (The New York Times)
"A mesmerizing modern-day western....While the action of the novel thrills, it's the sensitivity and wisdom of Sheriff Bell that makes the book a profound meditation on the battle between good and evil and the roles choice and chance play in the shaping of a life." (Publishers Weekly)
"Shades of Dostoyevsky, Hemingway, and Faulkner resonate in McCarthy's blend of lyrical narrative, staccato dialogue, and action-packed scenes splattered with bullets and blood. McCarthy fans will revel in the author's renderings of the raw landscapes of Mexico and the Southwest and the precarious souls scattered along the border that separates the two." (Booklist)

No Country

It’s hard to imagine a better written novel, telling the American story bittersweet, violent and heartfelt. The place is the southern border of Texas between our past and future, told with fearless honesty and down home passion. Broken and perfect, it is our story and I am thankful to have read it.

Excellent

This is a great book which is elevated by an excellent performance by the narrator.

Good but a bit much for my taste

This book is full of violence and intrigue, and has such a high body count that I'm not sure anyone could count. It's not really a spoiler as there are a bunch of dead bodies right in the beginning.

I know the movie won Best Picture at the Oscar's, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the movie. I liked some of the characters, but I'm not going to say anything about who they are and whether they survived the carnage.

Honestly, I would give it 3.5 stars if I could, but I rounded up because the writing is good. There's a folksy quality to it as well as the narration. I'm not going to go on a Cormac McCarthy binge anytime soon. If this is your kind of thing, then go for it.

Amazing performance

It changed my experience of the book. Amazing ! Can’t wait to listen to it again !

Dark Story That Makes You Think

A treatise on the futility of trying to change the world. Find your satisfaction locally.

Brilliant

Profoundly insightful, deep, and dark. It is easily my favorite film and novel. I recommend this book to anyone looking to ponder life, balance and the power of fate.

strong start, odd ending

This book starts quite strong with authentic, unique characters and and a gripping, intense plot. McCarthy's prose/run-on style sets a rustic tone that tells this story well. The narrator also gives a phenomenal performance, fitting the tone well and making each character feel distinct. The story, however, derails in the 3rd act, where the author intentionally skips over what would be the climax of the central story arc, and instead summarizes events through the perspective of secondary characters who never even directly encounter the protagonist or antagonist in the story. It's an odd choice that makes an otherwise strong novel feel quite disappointing, leaving you with heavy handed lamenting about the direction the world is headed in, rather than any sort of resolution to the story that was being told for two thirds of the book. perhaps that was the author's intention, to leave the reader disappointed in the story the way the characters in it are disappointed in the outcome of the events. If so, he succeeded.

good read

very different from the movie, but still kept my attention. i like the poetry of the story.

Modern Western Noir Classic

I read this novel a year or so before the theatrical release of the film. The film stayed so close to the novel, I was impressed. Later, I found out the novel is based on a screenplay by Cormac McCarthy. LOL!!! Both are excellent. Really beautiful touches of early 1980’s TX. The unfortunate intersection of the golden era past confronting modern crime.

Great Story

I can see the actor reading the story is talented, i just don't agree with the voices he uses, especially for the antagonist. It affects the story. Its almost hard to listen to