"Perhaps a new book would be wise?"
Ha. It is gratifying that someone is concerned for my well-being. It's funny, though, I am feeling fine. Reading Cormac McCarthy is actually quite life-affirming. Sure the book delves into a very hard, bleak, violent world, but the language is stunningly gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful, majestic writing. One is carried along by the narrative & the uncommonly rendered descriptions of the natural world.
Hard to convey how a series of perfectly constructed sentences can transport a reader. I am totally inspired and fired up by reading the book. Any book that can fire my imagination, get me to ask basic existential questions is a worthy read.
I don't & can't recommend the book to anyone I know. It's dark. Really. I mean, some folks like me, will totally dive in with both feet, but it is not a cheery little tome. The gore, the horror, the cruelty of humanity, hangs over everything like a black cloud. It is almost Old Testament brutal. If there is a God, (an open question), he or she is a very vengeful & cruel one, or a totally vacant, indifferent, non-caring one. Or you know, maybe this God is actually not good at all, dabbling in & encouraging evil just for the thrill of it?
For sure, Humanity is on it's own. Human Beings calling on Gods and Devils is actually, totally besides the point. Look to yourself Human, you own it.
It leads one to ask all the big questions: How to live? How to find your way in the world? What's it all about? What of the human heart? How is it possible that humans are capable of incredible horror, murder, insanity, and also beauty, wonder, creativity, Love, Honor, & Joy? I think of William Blake: We humans are the "Marriage of Heaven & Hell." How to reconcile the contradictions? Any novel that gets you to that place is certainly remarkable & worthy.
