How to Read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (10 Tips)

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Hardcore Literature Lecture Series
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0:00 introduction to Blood Meridian
3:00 why read this difficult novel?
5:30 my recommended edition
6:30 McCarthy’s prose style
7:30 polysyndeton & Biblical prose
9:20 peripheral reading assignments
10:58 reading the first page together
16:30 reading aloud slowly
17:00 the importance of perseverance
18:30 etymological excavations
20:00 lexis, language & consciousness
21:00 McCarthy & the Santa Fe Institute
22:20 the McCarthyian Metaphor
24:20 the prose-poetry of Blood Meridian
25:58 Judge Holden’s philosophy
27:00 “War is God”
30:00 the character of the Judge
32:42 Judge Holden’s war speech
35:10 how to read symbolism
37:00 poetry & dream journals
40:00 the violence of Blood Meridian
41:30 historical analogues & scalp-hunting
43:20 westward expansion
45:20 why read such a violent book?
47:30 the pace of Blood Meridian
48:50 structure & chapter synopses
49:20 McCarthy’s one-sentence
50:30 dialogue, dialect & foreign languages
51:30 Blood Meridian as postmodern novel
53:10 a guide to marginalia
55:00 rereading & recommended pacing
57:30 the benefits of group reading
59:00 let us know your thoughts

[BenjaminMcEvoy]

Hey guys - If you're interested in reading Blood Meridian with a group, and making your way through the novel with a guided reading, the self-paced lecture series has started over at the book club. The conversation that has opened up is wonderful, as can be expected from McCarthy fans! Here are links to our first two lectures:
Happy reading!
- Ben

[peterwhite]

Benjamin McEvoy is a brilliant man, a real literary analyst, extremely articulate. His reading of Blood Meridian can not be matched by anyone who dares to do this on the internet. I was a professor of American literature at the University of New Mexico for 40 years. I follow what he says, but I could never have made a classroom presentation like this one. He covers all the areas, like language, symbolism, history, themes, allusions to other great works. McEvoy must be a professor/tutor at some university in Great Britain.I really appreciate his lecture here: it’s great. Thank you so much for giving this book the deep appreciation it deserves. His presentation humbles me.

[Jacobthehuman]

I’ve been reading this book aloud to my dog in the afternoon. He has no idea of the beautifully written horrors being read to him but we are very much enjoying the process. Thanks for the tips and videos. Cheers!

[mdjoslin]

Cormac McCarthy has said that ‘books are made out of books’, so it seems certain that he was influenced by Mexican War veteran Samuel Chamberlain’s ‘My Confession’. Among other things, it’s the story of Chamberlain’s days with the Glanton Gang and his acquaintance with the dreaded Judge Holden. Fascinating to see life so directly reflected in art.

[displaychicken]

I just listened to the audiobook version as narrated by Richard Poe. I highly highly recommend it to anyone who likes audiobook format. He did an amazing job of bringing everything to life.

[PaulAlabama]

Ukrainian here. You know, I started rereading Blood Meridian in the first days of invasion. This book for me is a totally different beast now, than it was couple years ago. It does read like a bible of war. I guess I immersed myself into it way to far, but I realize it’s the most important book in my life right now. I read a chapter a day. Almost like bits of dark chocolate, a little at a time.

[magustacrae]

I've read this probably 15 times, listened to it probably 40 times. It's like a masterpiece album of music to me. Just love this novel. I have never ever understood why people get hung up on the violence. The beauty and essence is in the written word and McCarthy's amazing ability to paint pictures, moving pictures with nothing other than words. It's just beautiful

[psalmer]

Benjamin, I just want to thank you for this channel. I'm an American who spent far too many years avoiding much of the great literature, and I now find myself with an urgent need to dive in. You are an inspiration. I also have a son wanting to be a writer and preparing to return to college as a lit major. I'll be doing my best to get him hooked on you as well. I've loved what I've read of McCarthy, The Road and The Border Trilogy. After watching this, I'm going to give BM a try. Thank you again and keep the videos coming!

[briantrudyleupold]

the book can settle in your head and refuse to leave. I have read the book several times. Currently listening on Audible, it's a very different experience having it read to you. The voice actor is superb. Give this book as a gift, blow some minds

[kniprm]

Read this for the first time today and loved it. Finished in two days. Your comments about needing to hear the words are spot on. I read this with the audiobook and it was so much easier to follow.

[AtomicMushroom]

I read about 300 pages of BM, in French (I'm from Belgium) and it's incredibly hard to read and understand what's going on (especially the geography for me) but it's so well written and hypnotising that I could not stop myself to read it. It's an unusual way of writing to me, but at the same time it's so addictive. Your video help me a lot! I bought the road and no country for old men, can't wait to start those too.

[pietrodemonte]

I'm so grateful I stumbled into this video. You pushed me to reread the book - which I binged the first time - slow and aloud and I'm getting so much more. Now I long for a discussion from you on both judge Holden and Anton Chigurh :)

[chickencharlie]

I finally read it recently, it took a few times, I needed to mature as a person to really understand what kind of ideas/meanings Cormac McCarthy was exploring with this novel. I love the book. It's true, the utterly disturbing violence is harder to take than the complexity of his prose. The more you read the more you realize the varied meanings of the different kinds of violence throughout the story. I was able to understand and actually somewhat "enjoy" reading the novel after it all clicked together.
These videos are great, I'm so glad I found this channel

[johnricardo]

Just finished listening to Blood Meridian for the third time. I had been searching for this novel in a audio format for nearly 35 years so when it appeared on You Tube it made my year. I most highly recommend this version of the book to all your listeners. I enjoy all your video's Ben and i wonder if you would rank this masterpiece in your own top 100....Cheers

[JohnCollins-thhm]

This book amazes me for many reasons. One thing that sticks out, especially after multiple readings is that somehow, and quite unexplainably, it seems like one would be de-sensitized by the violence, but even if you become more comfortable with it, it still feels new and fresh and shocking. Only Cormac can do that.

[GravityFromAbove]

I indeed started reading the book years ago and at some point got distracted. The violence didn't deter me. But due to the fact that McCarthy is essentially recreating a Western book from the 19th Century it requires real concentration. (I have read many of the kinds of books he is referencing.) But alas something in my life came up; thus I never finished it. So this year I started again, but I changed tactics. I have a room to completely remodel, a lot of repetitious removing of wallpaper etc. So I found through YouTube the entire audio version of the book, which is very well read, and thus I accomplished the blasted journey across the Blood Meridian. And I must say there were moments that absolutely stunned me in description and American Gothic beauty and terror. And I found, much like listening to Shakespeare, listening to the whole book really made it come alive, and the distraction factor was zero. And when done with a chapter I would run over to the text and savor it again. For instance crossing the wasteland in chapter 4, which I had read before. This time I felt I was in a fever dream. Thanks for tackling this masterpiece.

By the way I have an old 78 rpm album of selections Moby Dick as read by Charles Laughton. A great actor can do wonders with a great book.

[Larkinchance]

“By day the banished sun circles the earth like a grieving mother with a lamp.”
I read this and sat back to contemplate the profound and intense imagery it had provoked...This line has stayed in my mind for 3 years since I read “The Road”.
To be honest I am fearful about reading “Blood Meridium”
After reading “The Road”, I viewed some YouTube commentaries. These guys talked about, how the world got this way, are there other survivors, why did it happen? Who is the enemy?
These guys missed the point entirely..
It was about one doomed man's desperate attempt to preserve the life of his son. He confessed to himself, if it weren't for the boy he would lay down and die but as long as the boy was alive, he couldn't.
I had never read a book in one sitting before.
Thank you, Benjamin, your commentaries are brilliant.

[deanima]

Fantastic video. I’m about to start my third read through of BM, and you’ve convinced me to take a much slower approach. Thank you for not only the content and analysis, but your practical reading advice. I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[magustacrae]

One more comment, then I'll try an zip it. Gotta offer up some gratitude! This is the best discussion of BM I've found. Thanks for a very good (and zero arrogance and "this is what McCarthy means" baloney that so many tend to pedal in their self-aggrandizing attempts.) Really appreciate your deeply studied, informed, and humble introductions for so many into the universe of The Redness

[Nosferatu]

Without a doubt the best American novel of the past 50 years. I read it in high school and it completely overwhelmed me.