Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
I read this book last year, and as far as I recall, it was one of the bleakest books I have ever read. Heck, even the cover page alone looks depressing.
Here's a short review I wrote about it in Facebook:
Probably one of the most bleak and depressing books I have ever read. The book describes a father and son (both unnamed) who are travelling through the wastes of post-apocalyptic America. On the way, the encounter all sorts of people, marauders, cannibals, man's inhumanity and all sorts of depravities that one can expect to encounter in a dying world.
One question that casts a pall throughout the whole book is this -- why even bother surviving at all? There is no hope or redemption in this land. One major struggle they face is always that of finding food. Nothing grows -- often the only source of food is the occasional caches of canned food that they occasionally stumble across. Obviously, with no additional production of canned food, one can only expect such finds to dwindle as time goes by.
The only redeeming grace is the father's love for the son and vice-versa -- they both recognise that the only reason for them to continue living is because of each other. This book challenges one to ponder the reason to continue living -- even if there is no longer any reason to do so.
Now, I hear they're making it into a movie. I had a look at some of the shots -- and what's this shrubbery I see? What's this greenery? Oh the horror! This is supposed to be one of the bleakest landscapes ever. I had imagined a land covered with ash and soot .... and now I see colour?
Hey, this land is supposed to be dead!! No food can be found !! All the father and son team are relying upon for survival is canned food !! Ok, to be fair, there isn't really much greenery, but the leaves on the ground look ... edible.
No matter. I'll be catching this movie once it comes. I hope it is good.
