Joe Isuzu's Daily Slander

David,

I read "The Road." I thought it was pretty depressing, and not very original, although I liked the portrayal of the relationship between the father and the kid. Did you like the book?

Cheers!

Andy

Yes I liked the book. At he top of his game, McCarthy writes lyrical prose which is close to poetical and is juxtaposed by the horror of what he's describing. I think Shakespeare's MacBeth when I read Blood Meridian. The Road in context with his personal life is a valentine to his young son. This coming from a man who is constantly reinventing his obsession with the specter of death, creates a world where mankind has been stripped of every last vestige of it's humanity to the point where procreation is for something to eat, and tells a tale of courage and love powered by hope in a hopeless world. The device isn't necessarily new, but well executed for my money because it is about the father and son relationship and not the apocalypse per se.

Don Quixote was on a fools errand too. But he was filled with passion. He was constantly getting into trouble, being told to give up his quest and mocked by the people around him. But once he regained his sanity, becoming like those around him, he died of melancholy. He lost his fire.

So great to hear from you!