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The Road
- Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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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.
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)
Editorial Review
I hadn't cried in years before I heard this book. Cormac McCarthy's vocabulary is truly unparalleled, but you can tell he spends even more time crafting his characters and their stories than he does with words—which is really saying something.
—Michael D., Audible Editor
More from the same
What listeners say about The Road
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Dubi
- 07-10-19
The Road Too Ruined
The Road, in audio, is hypnotic. Horrific, yes. But emotionally powerful, especially for a father like me, with so much of the story focused on the how single-mindedly driven the father is to protect his son in the worst possible post-apocalyptic scenario. But more than just protect him -- to teach him as well, to protect himself, and to do so in manner that preserves the best part of humanity despite a landscape in which all humanity seems to have devolved to its worst instincts.
By contrast, I've read some scathing criticisms of the print version from people I can relate to -- turned off by some of the pretensions author Cormac McCarthy appears to have indulged himself in, taking liberties with punctuation and syntax and style. I could easily see myself among the tiny but vocal minority who push back against that conceit had I read the book in print. But that is not a factor when listening to the audio. I did have a problem with some of the repetitious dialogue, but otherwise, this spare but potent novel seems to be a perfect fit for audio, never mind its accolades, Pulitzer Prize and all.
Perhaps because I am a father myself, I was most moved by how intensely driven the father was to keep his son alive. I do things for my kids that I would not do for anyone else, including myself. That has never been life of death as it is in this story, but quotidian life in modern America is not usually life or death, and yet we still do what we can for our kids. I rarely get choked up, but I was definitely growing teary eyed as I was driving home listening to the last half hour of this book.
Before listening to The Road, I had heard it referred to as an allegory. I can see where one can read symbolism into it, especially from the point of view of religion, specifically the Christian view of god. I would have reacted negatively had I looked at the book through that prism while listening to it. But in the moment, it is hard to hear anything beyond the sheer horror of the circumstances, taken at face value. The Road works perfectly as a straightforward story of a father and son trying to survive an apocalyptic event -- there is little need to delve deeper.
26 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Matthew Boehm
- 05-15-11
Poor Dialog, Not Much Plot Development
"The Road" follows the journey of a man and his boy walking through a post-apocalyptic America in constant search of food and shelter. While they do face some interesting ordeals along the way, the only developments happen within these limited episodes and are soon forgotten. The characters never seem to evolve, and always end up in the exact same situation they were in the day before.
Much of the book is dialog between the father and son, and (perhaps because the son is young) is very limited. I can't count the number of times I heard one of these: "okay", "alright", "I'm sorry", "I'm scared". While these can be used smartly to convey deeper meaning, there's a limit to how far that will go.
The narration combines with this repetitive dreary dialog to make a very dull and repetitive listen.
I understand that this book is trying to have a sad tone, and many of the things that bothered me about it might be considered its strengths by people who enjoyed the book. It's possible that I just don't "get" this book. Unless you know that you are a fan of Cormac McCarthy's writing style, I would take this review to be a warning to seriously consider if it's the kind of book you would enjoy before purchasing.
36 people found this helpful
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- Michael G.
- 06-15-18
Opportunity Lost
Did I miss something? The writing was interesting and the reading/performance was very good. But I came close to putting this book down several times and didn't only because I kept thinking "something really interesting is about to happen". It never did.
The author has a great imagination and a compelling way of writing. This could have been a very good, if not great book, if there was more story. Other than being occasionally horrified at depths to which humanity could fall in a crisis (as imagined by the author), I was bored. It was an opportunity lost.
31 people found this helpful
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- Jordan
- 06-24-07
Tedium Uninterrupted
To say that a post-apocalyptic world would be difficult and dismal doen't seem very innovative. To take this basic concept and stretch it over the period of severla hoursr is excruciating. Perhaps if there had been some more depth regarding the pre-apocalypse nature of the characters, the events leading up to the event, etc. - it could have been bearable. Whatever you do, don't listen to this when you're in a depressive state. Believe me, it only gets worse and worse.
31 people found this helpful
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- J. McGee
- 10-30-15
Couldn't finish it
Man, this book is rough. It just felt like it would never end and the story was all twisted. I will try to go back to it, but it's a tough one.
36 people found this helpful
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- Lee R
- 11-23-16
Just No
There was so much potential for an interesting story in here and it just never happened. What happened to get the world to the point the story takes up at is only described in the most vague words. The opportunity for development of the 2 main characters was there and not taken advantage of. Same with the opportunity for more than vague references to 'others'. Overall I found the story quite dull, the main characters annoying at best and the narration lent nothing to making it seem more interesting. Just nothing at all to make me want to recommend this or read it again.
30 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 03-03-17
Predictable. Slow.
I had to read this book for a book club. I try to only contribute positive things to the group, so I think I'll remain pretty quiet on this one.
29 people found this helpful
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- Brittany
- 03-26-13
Really??
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
This book drags on and on... It was hard to get through.. partially because of the depressing story, but mostly because of the narration.. He could put anyone to sleep!!!
20 people found this helpful
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- Susan
- 05-24-16
The Road to Whatever
Any additional comments?
I kept waiting for answers that never came. What happened to everyone in the first place? Never knew the man's or boy's name. The boy was continually whining. I would've hoped he would develop to be more like "Carl" on The Walking Dead. I didn't like any of the characters. The end just kinda happened and was tied up with a little optimistic bow.
26 people found this helpful
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- Jean-Marie
- 03-21-09
Could not finish the book
I really wanted to get into this book, but just couldn't. The rhythm was just off for me. I just could not develop any interest or empathy for the protagonists. I ended up giving up 1/3 the way. Maybe it was about to get better? I just couldn't stand it anymore.
26 people found this helpful
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Overall

- SKA
- 09-20-09
Perfect for the road - or anywhere else
McCarthy's book makes outstanding listening. I was fearful before buying this having read some of his previous books, which are occasionally tough going in their style. But The Road is brilliantly sparse - clipped, original and vivid imagery and a compelling narrative which never explans itself and just keeps you following. McCarthy is a master at avoiding the cliched descriptions of some (many, most) authors and this is the finest example of this, in my humble opinion.
The narration is even and atmospheric, with a compelling delivery - just like the story itself.
Superb!
16 people found this helpful
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- GC
- 11-01-10
An Excellent Audiobook
Forget the recent film, this is the real deal. A father and his son travel a road leading towards the South - and a respite from the winter cold.
However, this is a post-apocalyptic world they traverse; the atmosphere full of ash, no plants growing and all animals and most humans dead. Most of the people who remain have turned into savages - a real state of nature where human life is 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.'
This book makes you ask questions about yourself - could you survive in such an environment? How would you behave towards others?
McCarthy's spare writing style is well suited to this type of narrative and it is superbly read by Tom Stechschulte.
17 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Ellepeapatz
- 07-18-08
Poetic and thought provoking.
Having read the 2 previous reviews a number of times I was put off listening to this. At the recommendation of a friend I finally took the plunge - I wish I had done so ages ago.
The conversational style and poetic nature make it perfect for audible. The narrator sounded just as I imagined the Father would. I listened whenever I could and looked forward to the next instalment. Occasionally my heart rate rose in anticipation of on-coming violence but overall the story is beautiful. It's biblical themes and believable imaginings of post apocalyptic America are thought provoking.
I rarely listen to anything twice but I will make an exception with this.
25 people found this helpful
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- Jo Franklin
- 08-09-15
Heartbreaking and amazing
Seriously heartbreaking. What a story. Great direction and narration too! The voices were really well done :)
7 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Suzanne Martin
- 08-23-11
Heartbreaking
I was in tears at the end of this book - I felt like I was right there at the end with he Son and Father, and I knew them so well it was like saying goodbye to friends. The story is so incredibly well written, you are immediately drawn in to the story and I can picture the landscape so vividly in my mind that I am not sure if I should watch the film adaptation or not. I could very easily have listened to this book all in one sitting, but I had to sleep sometime!
Other reviewers have mentioned the lack of chapter breaks, but I think that this is natural to the story - you are seeing through the eyes of the Son or Father, and they are not writing a novel, so they wouldn't break off from their battle for survival to start a new paragraph!
A special mention must go to the excellent narration, which was perfectly paced and judged throughout.
I found this book to be a rare example of being worthy of all the praise I have heard heaped upon it.
21 people found this helpful
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- Ian Garstang
- 07-07-14
So Desolate, So Miserable, But So Good!
What made the experience of listening to The Road the most enjoyable?
The story painted a picture of a future so bleak it defines the apocalypse genre... The reader did a great job defining the characters and emotions.
What did you like best about this story?
Great story, short running time and engaging characters.
Have you listened to any of Tom Stechschulte’s other performances? How does this one compare?
No, but I will be looking at his other books
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Pretty much!
4 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Anonymous User
- 05-23-08
a chilling vision of the future
I suspect that a lot of people coming to The Road have, like myself, been introduced to McCarthy thanks to the recent film adaptation of No Country for Old Men, and so this is probably a good reference point.
No Country received near universal critical acclaim, but in my experience audience reaction was a little more mixed. Sure, plenty (including myself) agreed with the critics, but many seemed to think the desolate speech, settings, lack of truly cataclysmic events, and the closing dream sequence were entirely off-putting.
Well, all of the above factors are present in The Road, in a far greater density than in No Country. Our lead character is in a similar mould to Tommy Lee Jones with his slow, considered speech, there is the lack of a traditional climax, and the story starts with a dream sequence to rival that in No Country.
The story follows ?The Man? and ?The Boy? as they travel a road across the southern United States attempting to get to the coast following an unknown apocalyptic event. Needless to say, our travellers encounter both natural and human challenges in this desolate world and these are the main focus. It is worth noting here that, again like No Country, some of these encounters involve extreme violence and extremely distressing images; those of a nervous disposition should certainly beware.
From an Audible point of view, the book is of a manageable length and very well narrated. Despite this I do wonder if the inability to dwell on some of McCarthy?s topics means that something lost in the transition from page to wave; perhaps the forced pacing a narrator gives makes up for this, I don?t know. Finally, I always prefer chapters in audiobooks as they allow for a natural breaking point, and these are lacking here.
Overall, if you enjoyed No Country you will get something worthwhile from this and it is certainly worth your time. The opposite of course also applies, and at least for some, this is worth considering
24 people found this helpful
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- Kate
- 02-21-18
I cried....
Enjoyed, but the encounters in the book got a little same same. I cried, so that's always a good indicator of an author who has really pulled me into the book and characters. would recommend.
2 people found this helpful
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- Mark
- 02-19-10
Excellent adaptation
I felt the narrator's voice took a little getting used to but, once I had, this was an enthralling tale of a great book. the inherent difficulties of conveying the book in voice were extremely well tackled through a measured narration. The different characters were well handled. The denouement was incredibly moving.
Al in all, a superb adaptation: highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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- Jamie G
- 04-24-18
Great book, narrator a bit hokey.
Really enjoyed this but felt the narrator was a little hokey and plaintive at times.
1 person found this helpful
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- Patrick
- 03-23-20
a great listen
captures the hopelessness of it all, really does a good job world building.
its not a actioned pack book, but it is one of my favourites
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 02-18-20
Terrifyingly bleak
There arent many audiobooks that are as captivating and as beautifully presented as this. A story of surviving or succumbing to the scariest environment imaginable.
1 person found this helpful
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- Shayne Jackson
- 01-26-18
An amazing read
Brilliant story, brilliantly read. A disturbing, violent picture of a world in chaos, balanced with a story of a father's love for his child. Absolutely beautiful.
1 person found this helpful
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- emmoff
- 11-17-16
The high bar of dystopian fiction
The sparse, minimal prose add greatly to the haunting effect of this novel. Loved the narration. Did I mention bleak?
1 person found this helpful
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- SB
- 02-08-21
Relatively short distopian story no new insights
I don't understand why this won a Pulitzer. The author describes external scenes in great detail but there's little in the way of character development, perhaps this makes the situation more bleak/distant but I felt somewhat detached from the characters and their struggles.
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- Hanna
- 10-11-20
Great story, but dark
This story reflects the way people live for themselves in America. The individual must look out for themselves. It is very dark, and creates a feeling for what it would be like after an apocalypse. However has a few flaws, like cockroaches and insects would survive such an event. It is impossible for only humans to survive. The ending is also too fairy tale like and unrealistic.
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- Helen
- 06-30-20
Brilliant!
A sad, moving and incredible read. I felt I was on that road too. I grabbed another blanket and snuggled in to listen.
Narrator- fantastic!!!
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- W*BvK
- 06-28-20
Post Apocalyptic Masterpiece.
Short and distinct, Cormac is the master of description and puts you in the mood of the characters.
Tom Stechschulte is a brilliant choice for this novel and made it an American epic. I am glad I watched the movie first as it gave my imagination the resources to fully flesh out the narration.
Highly involving and well worth reading.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-27-20
in my top 10
hardly a word wasted, a cautionary tale for man kind and his capacity for good and evil.
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- JAMES POCOCK
- 09-27-19
amazing!
awesome! I loved the movie and now I'll always be listening to audiobooks on audible before I watch the movie if possible, narration & story both amazing!