In a bleak, post-apocalyptic world, a father and his young son navigate a barren landscape filled with danger and despair. As they struggle to survive against the harsh elements and lurking threats, their bond is tested, and the father clings to hope. The boy embodies innocence and a longing for the remnants of civilization, while the father wrestles with the darkness of their reality. This haunting tale explores the themes of love, survival, and morality in the face of overwhelming adversity. Will they reach their destination or succumb to the desolation that surrounds them?
By Cormac McCarthy
Published: 2007
"You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • A searing, post-apocalyptic novel about a father and son's fight to survive, this "tale of survival and the miracle of goodness only adds to McCarthy's stature as a living master. It's gripping, frightening and, ultimately, beautiful" (San Francisco Chronicle). A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation. Look for Cormac McCarthy's new novel, The Passenger, coming October '22.
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“You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.”
The Road
By Cormac McCarthy
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Cormac McCarthy is an acclaimed American novelist and playwright, celebrated for his distinctive prose style that combines stark realism with poetic language. Born on July 20, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island, McCarthy is best known for his works such as 'Blood Meridian,' 'The Road,' and 'No Country for Old Men,' each exploring themes of violence, morality, and the human condition. His writing often features sparse dialogue and vivid imagery, creating a haunting and immersive experience for readers. A recipient of numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, McCarthy's contributions to modern literature have established him as one of the foremost authors of his generation.
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