Elisabeth Follows the Road

The Road is set in post-apocalyptic times.

Post. Apocalyptic.

Normally if I'd picked these words out in a book's description, I would've placed it firmly back on the shelf and dusted my hands off in a 'good riddance' sort of motion. But I had made the commitment to stay true to the spirit of our book club, so instead I found myself cautiously making my way through chapter 1.

Surprisingly (to myself - and not to any one on the committee who awarded C. McCarthy that little Prize called the Pulitzer) I liked it. This does not mean I officially recommend it - in fact this book falls into my 'you didn't hear about this from me' category.

But let's get back to the point of why I liked The Road (please note I didn't say enjoy). I went about finishing it in bits and pieces as the material was a bit intense for just sitting down and finishing off in one go. Society as we know it is gone, obliterated. And we are following a father and his son in their desperate journey to survive, and maintain their love and integrity, in the face of humanity fallen to pieces. Although I didn't enjoy the setting McCarthy chose, I could not help but like and undeniably respect the fact that this is one well written book. The man can turn a phrase, and artfully create characters that are full of life.

Although The Road is chock full of disturbing imagery that will return to haunt you months, perhaps even years later, when you least expect it (say just as you're dropping off to sleep) - McCarthy's tale will leave you thoughtful each and every time you pick it up. The world McCarthy created was so vivid and believable, that every time I put down my book I was surprised to look up and find my world, as I knew it, still existed.

Finishing this book is rewarding too. McCarthy shows us he wisely believes in the good qualities of humanity, just as much as he believes in the bad.

This was a truly great, thought provoking read, and I'm glad that Amber picked it for us. Just remember though, you didn't hear that from me.

'The Road' Review and Meeting

I love post-apocalyptic stories. However, I have never read one with as little happiness and hope as Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” Although it was an excellently written novel, I considered not finishing it. I kept thinking, “How in the world can this end well?” And yet, despite all of that, I did finish it, and found the ending to be satisfying, a ray of light in such a dark and dreary story.

The narrative follows a nomadic man and his son, struggling to survive the harsh world leftover from an unidentified disaster that took place years before. Food is scarce, and most of the remaining people are cannibals, constantly on the prowl for their next meal. The only hope of survival is to keep moving.

A couple of things I found interesting: It was impressive to me that by leaving the man and boy nameless, Mr. McCarthy was able to make the reader really FEEL the emptiness of the world he created, and yet it didn’t hinder the ability to connect with the characters. Also, because the story was so dark and hopeless, when something good happened, I felt on edge, uncomfortable, afraid to believe it could last.

A story like this begs the question: What would YOU do? Would you fight to the death for survival, cling to hope when there is none? Would you keep your humanity, or give yourself over to what most did, cannibalism?

The Meeting

As hostess of this book club meeting, I wanted to have a nice campfire, and eat food from cans, but it was November and freezing, and really, cold canned food is not appealing in the slightest. Instead, I built a “campfire” with candles on my living room floor, and we sat on big comfy pillows.

For food, I went with a fall theme, including maple glazed smoked sausages, pumpkin spiced nut mix, baked brie, and mulled wine.

It took me awhile to figure out a gift for the ladies. One of the most exciting and hopeful parts of the story was when, after days of hunger, the man and boy find a hidden underground storehouse filled with food and supplies. The first thing they ate was pears, savoring the sweetness of the juices, and the feeling of their empty stomachs finally being satiated. I spent part of that late summer canning pears, so it seemed perfect to give a jar to each girl. Attached was a tag with the quote from the book, “These will be the best pears you ever tasted, he said. The best. Just you wait.”

All in all, to the extent possible in such a dismal story, I really enjoyed this read. So, if you like post-apocalyptic tales and can stomach a bit of despondency and cannibalism, this is the book for you.