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)

Couldn't stop listening

WOW what a great story
Need to listen to it again it was that good

Masterful in it depiction of the Human Condition

Amazing....
I keep trying to put into words what I am feeling, after completing this work of art, and I find my descriptions to be reductive and muted.

The way we were led through the lives and motivations of the characters was a painful joy.

I am glad for the journey.

Lots of killing

It took me a while to comprehend the message and it was hard for me to get through the whole story because there was so much killing. But the writing and underlying story kept me going and I’m glad I did.

Excellence

Now this is a real novel. This thing has soul. The characters jump out of the pages at you, and the author's genuine wisdom shines through. Loved every second of it.

Such a great story

As an admirer of the movie, the read here was really cool to hear the more in depth scene descriptions.

A bit wordy

The screenplay is actually better and shorter. The writer needs to learn more about firearms and western attire.
Reader does a good job.

Sheriff Bell’s character was so well defined that it felt like he and I were having a chat.

*****Spoilers*****
It’s a great study of action (or non-action) and consequence. Moss’ character was particularly unlikeable as he let the others around him suffer for his own actions. Yet, there was still a part of me that wanted him to get away with it. Chigurh was cold and creepy but with his own unwavering set of morals. Somehow his sureness made him more terrifying.

Overall, I loved the stark tone of the book. There were no extra, fluffy words but it still painted a vivid image. I would read it again.

Great narrator. Fantastic story. Incredible prose

This is one of my favorite books by a great author, narrated perfectly by a talented curator

The Coen Brothers are so good it's spooky

If you liked the movie, you'll love this audio book. It is very well read and you will re-live every scene in the movie in your head. The narrator's voices really have a lot of depth and authenticity. You will realize just how good the Coen brothers are when you see how well they adapted this book. Awesome!

A masterpiece of horror, tension and philosophy.

What did you love best about No Country for Old Men?

The author doesnt spoon feed you everything. The ambiguity of alot of things make it easier to relate to. If you were in the situation you wouldn't get all the answers spelled out for you. I really felt like i was there

I also enjoy all the philosophical exposition. It was just enough to shape your thinking for the events of the book

What other book might you compare No Country for Old Men to and why?

I would compare it to the Film The Counselor. Lots of philosophical rants but the story itself is just one angle of an event. It really helps illustrate the panic when its told through a few lenses rather than an omniscient stand point.

Which scene was your favorite?

Probably Wells and Moss talking in person. This did a really good job of establishing all my favorite elements of the story and its characters. Well's professionalism through his demeanor, Moss's downward spiral through his scrambling and Anton as a force of nature through Well's opinion of him.

If you could take any character from No Country for Old Men out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Anton Chigurh. His disposition and views are interesting. His mentality seems to be that of a animal with detective and military training.

Any additional comments?

No additional comments. I don't want to hold anyone up from starting this book.