Milo’s Comments (group member since Nov 20, 2008)

Milo’s comments from the CORMAC MCCARTHY THE MASTER OF WORDS group.

I see James Franco is attempting the near impossible as he films this as a movie. He has posted a 25 minute preview of what he intends to do. He also has done Child of God. That should send a chill up and down our spines........

William wrote: "Benjamin wrote: "William wrote: "I know this is slightly irrelevant to the discussion in hand but I wasn't sure whereabouts to ask about which books to read and in which order. I have only read No ..."
I found McCarthy when Horses was published and was lucky enough to buy a 1st edition before the book "took off". I proceeded to read the Border Trilogy and then went back to book one, The Orchard Keeper and read in chronological order all of his books.

yes, or take a left turn in writing the two later novels

never too late.. start with the Orchard Keeper aand read them all including his plays:
Sunset Limited
The Stonemason
The Gardner's Son

Yes he does follow the Faulkner tradition but is able to One Up him in my opinion. Perhaps the darkness theme is the hook in the cheek?

I also recently completed the Sound and the Fury. Very fine writing and story line.

He started at the top and improved from there....

For all of you McCarthyites out there.. a bit of trivia.

Q. When was McCarthy fist published?

A. Yale Review, Spring 1965 "Bounty, a Story" and the Sewanee Review, Spring 1965 "Dark Waters" both excerpts from his "upcoming" book The Orchard Keeper.

The Road deserves all the praise that is heaped upon it. McCarthy's earlier works are even better. Start with his first book, The Orchard Keeper, and read them all. The man is a Master

My 1st Outer Dark is signed [rare]. I also have signed Stonemason, Gardener's Son, Border Trilogy, etc.

Luck, bucks, and love of books.... Worth every dime I've spent.

Great comments and insight.

Michael wrote: "I've always found some of the best ways to find new authors is to read those authors who inspired the one in question. In this case, Faulkner and Melville were influential on McCarthy. I would stic..."

Jim Harrison is a great guy and fine writer. I met him in '93 in Bisbee Az at the Premier Showing of Eric Temple's Edward Abbey documentary. Had drinks and dinner with Jim. I need to return to his work again.

David wrote: "Wow, Milo. Now I *really* want to get Outer Dark. It's the one I haven't read of McCarthy's yet. I'm almost finished up with a Jim Harrison one, "Returning To Earth"."

Milo wrote: "The Border Trilogy is also my favorite and The Crossing ranks as my favorite individual book. Pure heart tugging magic told in a manner that elevates the reader. A download of the Spanish translati..."

Correction... my re-read of Outer Dark just put the book in my number one position with the Crossing in 2nd place. Two Superb reads...

Great shots, thanks,
Milo
Tim wrote: "Pretty awesome, huh? I've never seen pictures capture the scale of the place like those ones."

Superb, I just posted this link on Facebook. Needs to be seen by all lovers of the West

Yes, I have read them all.
I found Cormac when All the Pretty Horses came out, bought a first edition right out of the bookstore and now have that valuable copy. I was blown away.
I began my search for all of his work and bought 1st editions of all of them [some at huge prices]. I read like a madman. That was back in the early 90's.
So, today in the 2013's I began my re-read though a bit backward. The took the first three of his books and re-read them in reverse order:
Child of God- first
Outer Dark- second, and
The Orchard Keeper [his first book]- third

Try it. The rewards are immense. I now go word by word and continue to marvel at his capacity to describe and his uncanny use of dialog.
Is he an easy read?... Hell no
Do his books have happy endings?... Never
Does he copy Faulkner?.. No, he betters him
Is it worth the time to digest his works?... only if you have a brain and a thick crust.

This might be McCarthy's absolute Masterpiece. Others hail Blood Meridian or Suttree. While these two are exceptional they do not pack the "punch per page" that Outer Dark emulates. Incredibly bleak and dark [typical McCarthy] these 242 pages take you deep into the ruthless, toothless Appalachian wilderness where a brother, after impregnating his 19 year old sister tosses the baby away and tells her it died and he buried it while the real truth is that he left it to die in the forest. The story goes on to have the sister discover the truth and her ramblings in search of her lost child while her brother searches for her and others stalk them both.
Incredible dialog and description as only Cormac can accomplish.

I have just done a re-read on Child of God and Outer Dark [McCarthy's 2nd and 3rd books] and have re-blown myself away. If you have read him in the past go tackle him again. So much better the 2nd time around.

McCarthy is one of the few great writers who are able to successfully write for the screen. His earlier books The Stonemason, The Gardener's Son, and The Sunset Limited were all great play/scripts.