Reading Cormac McCarthy 1–THE ORCHARD KEEPER: RGBIB 271

As if we don't have enough long-term projects to fail at, we plan to read through McCarthy's life work until we get to his two new novels scheduled for late 2022.

First up, THE ORCHARD KEEPER (1965).

Ready, set, go.

[lyndao]

I like Dodo dancing up and down your arm whilst you read Cormac McCarthy aloud. Its perfect. I've never found Cormac to my taste, why read about hardscrabble gritty life when it surrounds us every living minute? I mean its all right there spread out on the landscape. In living color so to speak. Jeez...
He's kind of an old friend now though. I don't know if I prefer him to Faulkner. Ill think about it.
I like your work, Scotty. Really good. Keep on.

[UberSchluh]

Finished Suttree a couple months ago, which was the last McCarthy novel I had left (until those new novels come out later this year). Suttree and Blood Meridian are his best, but I also love Outer Dark and Child of God. I read the Orchard Keeper once and thought it was dull, although certainly better than most debuts. I will have to revisit it soon.

[ivanbonet]

Suttree is a life lesson. A book written from a pantheistic point of view. It points you to the beauty that there's everywhere, even in such a poor life as the one described in the book. The most poetic novel I've read. Some chapters, not just the trip in the moutains, feel like a psychedelic experience. Mindblowing read for me. I would be delighted to hear what you can say about the book in an upcoming video. Cheers. And thanks for the love for Against the day. I needed it when I was in the middle of the book. The best Pynchon I've read along with Inherent Vice.

[larrycarr]

Dodo hanging on your every word…or at least your collar. I have read Blood Meridian and The Road, but should go further. Looking forward to more of your 🛁 exposition on McCarthy!

[reaganwiles_art]

I heard lately about McCarthy's upcoming novels (October release, Nobel season). I have read all the novels but one. And I'm reading it now: Outer Dark. Funny, I was talking to Dad about McCarthy one day. A week later he walked in with a sack of books, all McCarthys, including the dramatic work, all except the border trilogy and No Country.... so, eight books, including hardback Road and The Counselor, all purchased upon release by the late husband of a lady gave my dad some loads of wood to burn, a finance man! So I guess I'm rereading McCarthy with you.

[leopoldbloom]

Appreciate the review! Though I am little bothered by your comments on his imagination and originality. I will say that you are Vastly, Vastly underrating him. I always see people who read him only through the lens of Faulkner enjoy him less, they are expecting things McCarthy isn't even trying to do while ignoring what he is doing. His inspirations from Faulkner are pretty obvious but their approach to fiction is quite different; I feel people attribute the regionalism of Southern gothic to faulkner way too much, to the detriment of other Southern writers.

Just want to mention that most of McCarthy's work past and including Child of God is some sort of Idiosyncratic Metafiction. Pay attention to the Narrator. The objective, omniscient voice lulls people into false security. He is the greatest living writer for a reason, which he wouldn't be if he was just writing vanilla stories in pretty landscapes.

[dennisbento]

I have Blood Meridan, Suttree and the Road but have not read any of them yet. I will . And I checked his bio on Wikipedia. He is 88 and he was born Charles, but he changed his name to Cormac to avoid confusion with Mortimer Snerd's half brother . Can't say I blame him.

[williambell]

Can’t wait for more videos on mccarthy, im reading all the pretty horses at the moment

[joenavanodo]

Silder killed Ratter in self defence. I think it’s important, but you didn’t mention that. I absolutely loved ‘The Orchard Keeper’ one of my most favorite novels of all time.

[AdrianESabau]

I would like to mention "All the Pretty Horses" and "The Crossing". I found them much more enjoyable than "The Road", for instance.