50-Book Challenge: The Road

The fifth book in my 50-book challenge was The Road by Cormac McCarthy. This book is nationwide bestseller and a Pulitzer Prize winner (fiction, 2007). It's also a proud member of Oprah's book club, which might explain the nationwide bestseller status.

Set in the former southeastern United States, this story relates the tale of a father and son as they travel on foot over a post-apocalyptic land. For the most part they travel highways in search of a warmer, more hospitable, location. The father is a widow, and the son is (probably) only about seven years old. At its essence this book is a father's tale: Approaching the end of life (perhaps all life) what does a father do for his son? How does a father protect his son when the entire world has careened off a cliff?

This book tells a beautiful story. It grabs you quickly and forces the reader to care deeply about the man and boy (both main characters are unnamed). Stylistically: Mr. McCarthy wrote this book in a very distinct style of prose, which would be hard for a lesser writer to use successfully. But rather than distracting the reader, the author's writing style lends as much to the story as the words on the page. One almost feels as if he or she is reading the main characters' diaries.

So far, I'm doing very well with my book selections. Five books and five thumbs up. But even recommended books are not equal. And if you were considering which of these five books to read first, read this one. The Road is a story that you shouldn't miss.