Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Crossing
The Crossing: Book 2 of The Border Trilogy | Cormac McCarthy
Following All the Pretty Horses in Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy is a novel whose force of language is matched only by its breadth of experience and depth of thought.In the bootheel of New Mexico hard on the frontier, Billy and Boyd Parham are just boys in the years before the Second World War, but on the cusp of unimaginable events. First comes a trespassing Indian and the dream of wolves running wild amongst the cattle lately brought onto the plain by settlers -- this when all the wisdom of trappers has disappeared along with the trappers themselves. And so Billy sets forth at the age of sixteen on an unwitting journey into the souls of boys and animals and men. Having trapped a she-wolf he would restore to the mountains of Mexico, he is long gone and returns to find everything he left behind transformed utterly in his absence. Except his kid brother, Boyd, with whom he strikes out yet again to reclaim what is theirs thus crossing into "that antique gaze from whence there could be no way back forever."An essential novel by any measure, The Crossing is luminous and appalling, a book that touches, stops, and starts the heart and mind at once.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
NatalieR
post image
Pickpick

Cormac McCarthy‘s scene descriptions and character development pulled me right into the emotional story of The Crossing. It‘s an emotionally heavy read, filled with tragedy and suffering. While also being a beautiful story. I suppose I have this reaction because McCarthy repeatedly offers hope in the story but doesn‘t quite deliver. There isn‘t a man on horseback riding off into the sunset in this ending.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Graywacke Great book. A little overshadowed by All the Pretty Horses. But this is terrific too. Glad you enjoyed and i liked your review. 9mo
NatalieR @Graywacke Thank you 😊 I agree. I‘m looking forward to reading the third book soon. 📚 9mo
Graywacke @NatalieR it‘s different. But it has its quirky charm, if that‘s the right word. Enjoy! 9mo
NatalieR @Graywacke Thanks! I hope I do! 8mo
74 likes4 comments
blurb
Butterfinger
post image

#sundayfunday @ozma.of.oz

Thanks for the tag @Roary47

1. Very dark road trip on horse - Cormac McCarthy's The Crossing.

2. Currently, I am fascinated by Beatrice Chanler - although real, I learned of her in a novel.

3. Through time.

Will you play @shellleigh33 @Mccall0113

BookmarkTavern I had to Google Beatrice, and my goodness, but I want half a dozen novels about her! Thank you for sharing! 3y
Butterfinger @ozma.of.oz I found out about her from The Women of Chateau Lafayette. 3y
29 likes2 comments
review
Jari-chan
post image
Pickpick

I already loved the first book of this trilogy, and the same goes for the second one. I just adore how McCarthy writes about the borderland between the US and Mexico, how he describes the people, the landscapes, the animals, the feelings. There's so much beauty. In the country, the books, the words. Beauty and love. Deep and astonishing.

@TheAromaOfBooks #BookSpinBingo
@TheSpineView #SeriesRead2021

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Butterfinger
post image
Andrew65 This is one I keep meaning to read. 4y
37 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Butterfinger
Pickpick

Not as good as All The Pretty Horses, but I am still glad I read it. One decision for a young boy seemed to turn his whole world upside down and one devastating thing after another happened. Even if he hadn't decided to visit Mexico, who is to say the same events would not have happened? I will not forget Billy Parham anytime soon.

Like wolves, humans need a pack. And if you leave your pack, it takes a lifetime to find your place in this world.

blurb
Butterfinger
post image

1. Tagged
2. The Martian
3. Two days later riding down the Cloverdale road he turned off for no reason at all and rode out to where the vaqueros had nooned and sat his horse looking down at the dead black fire.

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Bklover 🧡🧡🧡The Martian🧡🧡🧡🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔 4y
BookmarkTavern Love The Martian so much! 4y
37 likes2 comments
blurb
Dyslexicon13
post image
blurb
Billypar
post image

#frideas @SailorMoon
1. It changes: today I'll go with 'The Man Who Wasn't There'
2. A Clockwork Orange (haven't read the book yet!)
3. Less Than Zero
4. I don't have one...maybe Steve Buscemi or Faye Dunaway?
5. With McCarthy novels everyone talks about the failed Blood Meridian adaptation attempts- I'd just as soon drop it and try this one- would make a much better film.

SailorMoon Thanks for playing!!! 🥰🌙 6y
35 likes1 comment
blurb
Leftcoastzen
post image

Happy Birthday to Cormac McCarthy who was born on this date in 1932.

Billypar Not just my two favorite McCarthy's, but two of my all-time favorites novels period (hence my Litsy handle 🤠) Happy birthday CM! 🎂 6y
Leftcoastzen @Billypar great handle, should have known ,duh.😃He is a great writer. 6y
31 likes2 comments
review
BlueMonday42
post image
Pickpick

Wedding planning and McCarthy don‘t mix. This took me a while, but as always, the payoff is spectacular. Haunting, beautiful, mythical, and expansive, this is vintage McCarthy.

15 likes1 stack add
blurb
Readasaurus_rex
post image

This books started out beautiful but I'm struggling to finish it. It feels just a bit too long to me.

15 likes1 stack add
blurb
andrew61
post image

#junetunz #wolves
I've been wracking my brains thinking that I wouldn't be able to think of a book with wolves then somewhere in the mass of nonsense in my dustbin of a brain i remembered that a wolf was a central plot point in the brilliant first book of this trilogy (i have book 3 waiting). A wolf is captured by a brother who instead of killing it plans to return it to its homeland, when captured and caged in mexico events occur, yay done!

blurb
Billypar
post image

How could I respond to a #wolves prompt in about other way than with what may be my favorite novel of all time. When a she-wolf wanders into Billy Parham's family's farm, he decides to escort her back over the border after hearing she came from Mexico. The adventure that follows is incredible- thrilling, moving, and thought provoking. #JuneTunz @Cinfhen

Cinfhen Oh wow! Sounds like this book could be a sleeper hit! Thanks for posting and glad you're back for a new month😊 7y
andrew61 I hadn't seen your post until just now and i ended up googling the same image after trying to find my copy, apologies, but i agree its a brilliant book, im yet to read the third part but it is incredible writing. 7y
Billypar @andrew61 The Crossing is my favorite McCarthy, but Cities of the Plain is a close second, so you're in for a treat. 7y
18 likes1 stack add3 comments
quote
1000monkeys
post image

review
1000monkeys
Pickpick

Top tier.

blurb
andrew61
post image

#siblings #aprilbookshowers
I started off hunting for my copy of The wasp factory by ian banks as my favourite siblings but inevitably i couldn't find it. So here are 3 other sibling stories that i have enjoyed, f+z deserves a reread, i plan part 3 of the border trilogy soon, and east of eden awaits the reading envy readalong!

ephemeralwaltz The Wasp Factory is a crazy read!! 8y
ephemeralwaltz (Crazy good) 8y
10 likes2 comments
blurb
Leftcoastzen
post image

#bookhaul The Crossing is in there somewhere 🤗major book sale in Phoenix Az! VNSA for charity ,good prices ,been going on for 61 years!

blurb
SubwayBookReview
post image

Matt: "A 15-year-old boy tries to catch a wolf. He's supposed to return home and bring the wolf to his Dad. It turns out that the wolf is pregnant, so instead the boy takes it to Mexico where he believes the wolf's original home is. McCarthy's language is great. It's good to read about the desert and vast land in a place like New York City. I don't think I'd be cut out for this kind of journey. I would probably get eaten by the wolf."

Angelala007 Ooh! Must read! And Matt is adorable! Cute boys who read! 🙊 8y
86 likes14 stack adds1 comment
review
Cshreve
Pickpick

This is my favourite novel. Every word feels critical.

3 likes1 stack add
quote
Timshel

"The night was falling down from the east and the darkness that passed over them came in a sudden breath of cold and stillness and passed on. As if the darkness had a soul itself that was the sun's assassin hurrying to the west as once men did believe, as they may believe again."

3 likes1 stack add
blurb
Timshel
post image

Saturday moves.

blurb
thewhitehat
post image

Well, on the downside I left the book I'm reading at home today...on the upside I always carry a spare McCarthy in case of emergencies. Break glass for beautiful, harsh, scathing examinations of the human spirit.