The Road
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The Road Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Cormac McCarthy (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Recorded Books (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 30,273 ratings
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Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 2007

America is a barren landscape of smoldering ashes, devoid of life except for those people still struggling to scratch out some type of existence. Amidst this destruction, a father and his young son walk, always toward the coast, but with no real understanding that circumstances will improve once they arrive. Still, they persevere, and their relationship comes to represent goodness in a world of utter devastation.

Bleak but brilliant, with glimmers of hope and humor, The Road is a stunning allegory and perhaps Cormac McCarthy's finest novel to date. This remarkable departure from his previous works has been hailed by Kirkus Reviews as a "novel of horrific beauty, where death is the only truth".

McCarthy, a New York Times best-selling author, is a past recipient of the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award. He is widely considered one of America's greatest writers.

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours and 39 minutes
  2. Author
    Cormac McCarthy
  3. Narrator
    Tom Stechschulte
  4. Audible release date
    March 15, 2007
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Recorded Books
  7. ASIN
    B000OCZ2MA
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours and 39 minutes
Author Cormac McCarthy
Narrator Tom Stechschulte
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date March 15, 2007
Publisher Recorded Books
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B000OCZ2MA
Best Sellers Rank #9,009 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#428 in Literary Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#898 in Science Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#1,432 in Fantasy (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
30,273 global ratings
Should be new looks used.
3 Stars
Should be new looks used.
Book is in tact but cover in bad “used” condition. Bought NEW.
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Top reviews from the United States

Brian K Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars "The Road" is not a book for the faint of heart!
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2023
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Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece that will leave an indelible mark on your soul. With sparse yet poetic prose, McCarthy takes us on an emotionally intense journey through a desolate and merciless world, revealing the depths of human resilience and the fragility of hope.

Set in a bleak, ash-covered landscape, the story follows a father and his young son as they traverse a road to an unknown destination. Their world is ravaged by an unexplained cataclysm, devoid of life, and haunted by bands of desperate survivors turned savage. With every step, the duo battles hunger, cold, and the constant fear of being discovered by those who would do them harm.

What sets "The Road" apart is McCarthy's ability to capture the essence of humanity in its purest and most primal form. Through the profound relationship between the father and son, McCarthy explores the power of love and the lengths we go to protect those we hold dear. Their bond is both tender and fierce, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the surrounding darkness.

McCarthy's writing style is simultaneously stark and hauntingly beautiful. His minimalist approach, devoid of quotation marks and traditional dialogue tags, immerses readers in the characters' thoughts and experiences. This narrative choice intensifies the sense of isolation and desperation, echoing the desolation of the world they inhabit. The prose is poetic in its simplicity, punctuated by moments of raw, gut-wrenching emotion that will leave you breathless.

While the post-apocalyptic setting is undeniably bleak, "The Road" offers a profound meditation on the human condition. McCarthy delves into themes of survival, morality, and the fundamental nature of mankind. He explores the boundaries between good and evil, showcasing the lengths some will go to preserve their own lives, and the rare acts of selflessness that restore our faith in humanity.

Through its harrowing depiction of a world teetering on the edge of annihilation, "The Road" forces readers to confront their own mortality and contemplate the choices we make when faced with dire circumstances. It serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of civilization and the enduring power of hope, even in the face of unimaginable horrors.

"The Road" is not a book for the faint of heart, but for those willing to embark on this profound journey, it offers an unforgettable experience. McCarthy's masterful storytelling, combined with the depth of his characters and the weight of his themes, make this novel an absolute must-read. Prepare to be captivated, devastated, and ultimately uplifted by this haunting portrayal of humanity's struggle to survive in a world where darkness reigns.
8 people found this helpful
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Ksn1202
4.0 out of 5 stars Depressing but hopeful
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
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This book was difficult for me to read. Have your dictionary/alexa/google ready. I am college-educated and there were so many words I didn't know! With that said, it was an educationally and emotionally challenging book and I'm glad I read it. I felt different after. I hate wasting my time on books if I don't get anything from them. I kept imagining myself in the characters shoes and what it would be like. Though the story is super depressing (I wouldn't recommend this as a casual beach read), it has like a tiny strand of glitter weaved throughout that if you look in the right light it can give you hope. Which is really all we need in this life sometimes to keep going. I love the relationship of the father and son, how they hold on to each other as they endure to keep surviving. That's what I took from the book. Hope and the importance of holding on to one another...especially in difficult times. It's worth a read! Not a long book but the lack of quotations and the words I didn't know held me up a bit.
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DC gal
5.0 out of 5 stars perhaps the greatest work of art I've ever encountered
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2010
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Art is different from entertainment because art changes you, and this book affected me more deeply than any piece of art I've ever encountered. Not that I think it's perfect -- I see many flaws. But they don't matter. It accomplished its mission.

Cormac McCarthy has written the definitive literary depiction of the power of love. Although they were cold, dirty, starving, frightened, I was surprised to find myself at one point envying them, for they were nurtured from within by the power of love. Especially the father, as it's the nature of the parent-child relationship that the parent gives and the child receives. CM is saying, that when all hope is gone, love remains.

And he's done it so convincingly that during the days I was reading this book, when I had occasion to throw away some food, I found myself thinking "I wish I could give it to them." In some part of my mind, I felt convinced that these people really existed. That was how completely I entered into their world.

Caution: spoilers ahead!!

I have never cried so hard at any death in a movie or book. It started with the line: "when he lay down he knew that he could go no further and that this was the place where he would die. The boy sat watching him, his eyes welling. Oh Papa, he said."

I'm crying for the loss to the man, who showed so much courage, self-denial, sheer grit, and boundless love. We want to see that kind of all-out effort succeed and be rewarded, but life isn't like that. We know the horror the man must feel in leaving his son alone in that world, with nothing but a half a tin of peaches to sustain him. In his final gesture of love, the man declines the peaches and tells his son to save them for him -- for tomorrow, when he knows he'll be gone.

I'm crying for the loss to the skinny, starving boy, who has lost his smart, determined, vigilant and tender father -- the only thing standing between him and a horrific future as a catamite or cannibal's dinner.

And I'm crying for the loss to myself of the most inspiring character in the fiction world: a man with the strength to keep going, keep walking, keep searching, when almost all others have given up (like his wife) or given in to their basest instincts (the roadagents).

"The Road" left me knowing that love is all that matters, and determined to live my life out of that knowledge. I want to give up living from my mind and start living from my heart. Perhaps I will adopt a child. The story is more powerful than a thousand sermons.

Cormac McCarthy strips away all the superfluous stuff that has nothing to do with love. We don't know whether the man preferred to go out for sushi or steak, jazz music or country. Was he a lawyer, salesman or mechanic? None of that is essential to who he is. We don't need him to crack jokes or say profound things. All we know of him is what he does, and that's plenty. We see him putting his son's welfare first, over and over again. When they are hiding from the cannibals, he considers running to draw them away from the boy. That he himself will end up in that basement doesn't even figure in his decision not to do it -- only that he doesn't think it will work. His own pain weighs nothing when compared to his motivation to save the boy.

As for those who fault the man for not helping strangers -- I don't agree. Any morsel of food given to strangers is taken from the mouth of his son, or lessens his own chance to stay alive long enough to get his son south. He had to choose and he chose his son.

So the story had a deep emotional impact on me. But in addition, it is a story of ideas. How low can man go? What darkness beats in the heart of men, only thinly veiled by our (currently) abundant society? At what point is life no longer worth living? At what point should the strong drive for self-preservation be ignored, if it means committing atrocities on others? And lastly, to what extent am I taking life's current luxuries and comforts for granted?

I'm sure many a reader of "The Road" has collapsed into bed after a night of reading and felt immense gratitude for their cozy bedroom, their clean sheets, their fridge and a tasty midnight snack.

Things that troubled me about the story: I wanted them to stay longer at the bunker. At least to make full use of those provisions and take the time to fatten up and rest before heading on. They could've hauled a load of groceries off a mile or two and pigged out for a few weeks before coming back for more. The more weight they put on, the less crucial it would be to find fresh provisions when they finally did leave.

I wanted to see him make a major effort to find a way to disguise the trap-door to the bunker. It had gone undiscovered for almost ten years, if it was well hidden perhaps it could go undiscovered for at least a few more months.

Setting off the flare gun was irresponsible. They wasted a flare and announced their position, perhaps drawing the thief.

But those are minor quibbles. After finishing "The Road," I felt profoundly blessed, and cleansed from within from the tears shed. I knew I was in the presence of greatness. Cormac McCarthy has given mankind an immense gift, for which I paid only $7.99. Thank for Cormac McCarthy.
27 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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John H
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, but an amazing read
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2024
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Probably the saddest book I ever read. Continually found myself putting the book down to look at a tree, a flower or a bird or just to reflect upon how much we have contrasted with the world created by the author. Finished reading and read it again. Reviews calling this book a ‘masterpiece’ are correct. A very powerful story.
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Renee
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book, a real page-turner
Reviewed in Mexico on October 24, 2023
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If you want to fully dive into a book that catches your full attention and makes you forget about the world, this is it. A real page-turner, beautifully written, amazing story, heartbreaking, insightful, entertaining.
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Janice Barreto
5.0 out of 5 stars Tema interessante
Reviewed in Brazil on July 30, 2023
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Tema muito atual.
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Zhats
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book
Reviewed in Germany on March 31, 2024
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Unlike Blood Meridian which took me a week, I read this in a single day. I love the author's style and I plan to read everything he wrote. This book is both sad and optimistic and leaves an imprint on your soul. I'll read it again.
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sue morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars Epic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2024
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Dark brooding absorbing tale in a post apocalyptic world. Told like it it. No frills and desolate, but full of human spirit and humanity from the main characters in the absence of any other vestiges of hope, brilliantly written.
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