The Road

By: Cormac McCarthy

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 2007

America is a barren landscape of smoldering ashes, devoid of life except for those people still struggling to scratch out some type of existence. Amidst this destruction, a father and his young son walk, always toward the coast, but with no real understanding that circumstances will improve once they arrive. Still, they persevere, and their relationship comes to represent goodness in a world of utter devastation.

Bleak but brilliant, with glimmers of hope and humor, The Road is a stunning allegory and perhaps Cormac McCarthy's finest novel to date. This remarkable departure from his previous works has been hailed by Kirkus Reviews as a "novel of horrific beauty, where death is the only truth".

McCarthy, a New York Times best-selling author, is a past recipient of the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award. He is widely considered one of America's greatest writers.

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Critic reviews

"McCarthy's prose retains its ability to seduce...and there are nods to the gentler aspects of the human spirit." (The New Yorker)
"One of McCarthy's best novels, probably his most moving and perhaps his most personal...Every moment of The Road is rich with dilemmas that are as shattering as they are unspoken...McCarthy is so accomplished that the reader senses the mysterious and intuitive changes between father and son that can't be articulated, let alone dramatized...Both lyric and savage, both desperate and transcendent, although transcendence is singed around the edges...Tag McCarthy one of the four or five great American novelists of his generation." (Los Angeles Times Book Review)

Good not great

Got this one cause of all the hype. Still don't get it. Don't get me wrong, the simple prose works and the story held my attention but Pulitzer Prize? The story has its moments of suspense and the ending is sad if not heart breaking. The narrator was a bit annoying when doing the father's voice. Oh if you took a sip of vodka everytime the man responds with "yes" to his son's questions you'd be well drunk after a single chapter.

A Masterpiece

After listening to "No Country For Old Men," it took all my will power to wait for the audiobook release of "The Road" - it was worth the wait.

McCarthy (and Stechschulte) capture the love between father and son under the most wretched conditions, in prose that goes directly to the heart and soul. The Man is strong, scared, sometimes impatient or regretful, but always returns to his love for the Boy to keep going and to try to rise above the normal failing of a father. The Boy - has anyone ever captured the fear, trust, and devotion within young boy as well as McCarthy? - was as real to me as his father. The love, persistence and hope shine through in a world of unending gray.

I find myself looking at my son (6), and I hear Stechschulte (and McCarthy) saying "If he is not the word of God, then God never spoke". I am not a religious man, but that one phrase captured in words the unspeakable love of a parent for a child.

Definitely worth buying!

This is a gripping story with an excellent reader. His slow understated diction is perfect for this scorched earth story. It's a far from cheery vision -- totally bleak, in fact -- but with real moments of tenderness. It's a rich evocation something that is usually only addressed by melodrama and exaggeration. This is the opposite -- precise, human, intelligent, and therefore even more frightening and memorable.

Hauntingly Powerful

I put off listening to this book for a long time because I thought it would be too depressing and even boring. In fact, it's uplifting in a way and I was riveted by the story. The relationship between father and son is so intense and beautiful. You would think a book that has only two main characters would be slow - but it is just the opposite. There is never a lag in the narrative and you grow to care for these characters so much. The reader is also terrific. This is a story that once heard you will never forget. I liked it so much that I bought the book and plan to reread it.

Really spoke to me

This book really worked for me. Maybe because I'm 43 and I have a young son. The dialog rang true. The reader was fantastic, so much so that the few clips I have seen of the upcoming film seem off in some way. Even the way he delivers the boys words was perfect. I am pretty picky about my listens and this was my first foray into McCarthy's work but I really enjoyed this booy even though it is a harrowing piece of fiction. I f I believed in a God I would certainly pray that this is not how it all ends up...

A Book for Grown Ups

While the story is one of hopelessness and despair, the author's gift of telling it makes this book a five star on my list. I have never been a reader who has a keen appreciation of fine writing (give me a cheesy, fast moving, made for TV story), but this book brought out the literary critic in me. I was anxious to get to the gym just so I could turn this book back on.

Haunting, Gripping, Poetic

A consuming and powerful story - if a little emotionally draining. If you listen in your car, this is one of those books that has you sitting and listening even after you've arrived at your destination. Excellent narrator.

narration made this even better

This is a beautiful, moving, and haunting tale about a father and his son. It's not chalk full of excitement every other page. This is a literary piece of work. Those that are looking for more plot twists and excitement should read John Grisham. This is a book for those who truly appreciate great literature. The narrator really brought the characters to life and I could feel the emotion in his reading. A beautiful piece of work.

I really enjoyed this book

This book is a crazy ride from start to finish.

I had originally watched the movie and had always wanted to give the book a try. Once I saw it on sale it was a no brainier to get it.

The story is a bit slow, but chocked full of tension. It was hard to relax while listening to this book as I would catch myself hanging on my seat wanting to hear if they would be safe.

I really enjoyed the post apocalyptic landscape the author paints. It really give you a feeling of what the world could be like after a major nuclear war. How the human condition could become so bad, but also have signs of hope.

If you want a quick book that will keep you on toes and leave you crying, then give this book a chance.

Great book enjoyed it's dark journey

I'd seen the movie but like always the book was much better. a dark dystopian take that illuminates the relationship between a father and son.