Just when you think you know the rules, something or somebody comes along and changes everything. The use of language is thought to be a universal thing with the same rules applying across the board to everyone that sets out to use it. When those rules are 'broken', there is said to be an error that must be fixed to ensure that the rules are followed to the letter - excuse any puns in this piece by the way. I thought all of the above was true until I started to read Cormac McCarthy's books. McCarthy was a favourite of my Papa's and he introduced me to him through the much acclaimed book-come-film, 'The Road'. At that point I was thundering through crime, comedy and action like there was no tomorrow but when I put down 'The Road' for the last time my view of reading, and of the English language, was changed forever.
Why bring this to the fore now? Well I've just finished the first book in McCarthy's Border Trilogy and the writing in there is even richer than in 'The Road' and the other book that I have read by him, 'No Country for Old Men'. The book, although not that long, is thick with some of the most beautiful prose that I've ever read which goes hand in hand with his immediately identifiable style. I dare not try and explain it to you but to give you just a flavour, his writing is the closest thing to art that I think I've ever come across in anything that I've read. In a review of the book ('All the Pretty Horses') one person likens McCarthy's writing to Shakespeare in the way that he paints the setting in a way that is not apparent straight away but on closer reading is something of beauty. Like Shakespeare (who's work I studied closely in my latter years in high school) McCarthy's work takes a practised eye to appreciate it. Had I picked up this trilogy without having the other two books under my belt I think I would have merely skimmed the surface of what it had to offer.
It takes at least 2 readings of a Shakespeare play to understand it and it takes many more hours of study before the language becomes familiar. McCarthy uses contemporary English but in that same way, it takes a slow and steady reading of his work to fully get what he is trying to say. In many ways I found it a discipline reading that book last week and it's set me stunned to the point that I've not read since. I went to it after reading Ian Rankin and Robert Harris books and the change in the way that I had to read was remarkable, bordering on alien. I'm a quick reader but there are some passages in McCarthy's books that require you to pace yourself to the character that you are with at that moment. At times 'All the Pretty Horses' can be read quickly and sometimes it has to be read with care and attention - both owing to the craft of the author.
One phrase from the book that stands out for me is something that appears mundane out of context. It came at the end of a long bit of dialogue between characters that gripped my attention which was then burst by this beautiful saying that almost had me say 'wow' out loud. At the end of said dialogue, one of the characters describes someone as 'frighteningly intelligent'. It looks plain from and outsider's perspective but at that point in the book when I was mesmerised by what I was reading, it felt like the first time I had breathed out for a good few pages. It sounds like I'm milking this for all it's worth and that I'm being hyperbolic but I can honestly say that it's the most interesting reading experience I've had for a long time.
As I said I've not picked up another fiction book since I finished 'All the Pretty Horses' last week. The next book in the trilogy is slightly longer and I kind of feel like I want to save it for a rainy day (not literally because that is every day just now) and find some easy reading for now. I'm not sure whether I should be recommending his books to you now either because I've built them up to such a height that they might not live up to expectations. I've read reviews on Amazon which say that McCarthy's work is boring and that his style is 'wrong'. As I discussed above, McCarthy's writing style and use of language is something very unique as far as I know - certainly not 'wrong' though. It turns out (and I consider myself lucky in this respect) that his style is something that really clicks with me and certainly something that my Papa enjoyed as well.
Thanks for reading and I would be interested to hear if anyone else has come across an author that has had a similar effect on you.
Martin
