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The Road

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The Road

By: Cormac McCarthy
Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
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About this listen

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.

Check out more selections from Oprah's Book Club.©2006 M-71, Ltd. (P)2006 Recorded Books LLC Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Science Fiction Emotionally Gripping Scary Witty Heartfelt Tear-jerking Dystopian

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)
All stars
Most relevant
A sodden journal of black and blurring charcoal horror etched and etched over around a tabernacle of fire.

I listened to this on a night when I allowed my 8 year old to sleep in my bed. Don’t do that!

Beautiful listen.

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The best way to describe it would be poetry with a storyline. The writing is beautiful and the plot enthralling, absolutely worth every second. also super grim so don't play it if you are sad 😔

short and sweet

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This book paints a strong picture with few words. There isn’t much action, however that wasn’t a problem as it was descriptive in a way that immersed me into the seemingly hopeless landscape and conditions that the two main characters trudged through together.

If you’re looking for action due to the books post apocalyptic setting, you won’t find much here, however there is more than enough of substance to compensate for that in my opinion.

Great storytelling

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Finished in 2 sittings. Could not turn this off. Incredible book. Most realistic dialogue I've ever read. And the most brutal, bleak, uncompromising narrative as well. Highly recommend.

Fantastic. Brutal, bleak, painful. But fantastic

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Cormac McCarthy's control over language and imagery is incredulously satisfying. His affinity for implication and depiction of character and scenery alike feel vividly and deliciously authentic. A well crafted apocalyptic tale of a father and his son rich with realism and plot points that will have you unnerved at some points, and genuinely smiling at what entails.
Tom Stechschulte performs incredibly, breathing life into Cormac McCarthy's characters with a well rounded performance and perfect pacing. This is an audiobook that will have you immersed in every word.

A well narrated exodus

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Great narration, I really enjoyed the voice acting.
Definitely one of the books everyone should read in their lifetime. The book is dark and depressing but written so well that the light shines through.

So disturbing! So good!

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I found it a little uneventful, characters are written well, good adventure and good ending

Good story but

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Beautifully written, a journey through a dystopian bleak land where the relationship of father & son is all that is familiar.

Bleak and Uplifting

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Excellent story excellently told. Good for sci fi fans, moments of spiritual strength with humanity .

Quite a trip

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Wonderful work by a master wordsmith. A vision of our future?
One hopes not, but the likelihood grows with each passing day.

Elegiac

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