The Gardener's Son

I thought I'd read everything he's written, but found this early screenplay. He never disappoints, but he does depress, some works more than others.

This is the first screenplay I have read, and being a fan of McCarthy's dialogue I found it an enjoyable, quick read. The mood is consistent with many of his Southern novels, but the characters are not as merciless and their motivations are somewhat clearer. It would be wrong to go into this expecting it to pack the punch that his novels do, but if you can accept the format it is interesting to watch how the action is picked apart differently. It is intended for film after all.It is short, but McCarthy does a very good job at using dialogue, even when it is somewhat minimalist, to give depth to his characters. It is quintessential McCarthy dialogue (do all his characters "got to get on"?), so how much you enjoy this will probably depend on how much stock you put in that aspect his writing.Recommended reading if you've worked your way through most of his other books already.

This is not a novel but a really good screen play.

Other than NCfOM and The Road, Cormac's screenplays are hit and miss. This screenplay was was too short and lacking any kind of detail. I'm going to watch the movie to see if they flesh out the story a bit, but how they made an almost 2hr movie on this very short script will have to be seen. Don't get this if you are looking for Cormac's usual wordy and esoteric style, this is bland and just a draft script is appears.

Great condition and quick delivery. Excellent!

In the same voice and values of McCarthy novels, the story tells in raw and realistic words that ring real and faithful to the people of the times and place of the drama. There is a theme that reminds all of the struggle of the many for basic security and meaning in a world dictated by the few who own the economic means of their deliverance. In his bare dialogue ( words of the actors,) the author reminds us of those who see unfairness in a community where the few at the top see themselves as providers of great care and generosity. The scene descriptions by the author make this reader long to see the entire story as a McCarthy novel, for those descriptions are often more moving in their command of the language than are the skillful lines of the players. Still, I am happy to see the author extend his exposure to yet another medium.

One of my favorite writers, This was my first screenplay. Worth the time.A good read especially if you like theatre.

I bought this not knowing it was a screenplay. Why would I want to read a screenplay?

The product was authentic and delivered on time.

Cormac never disappoints ,I'm praying we get more books out of the old timer soon . a fan

This was first aired in 1976 but it has taken till 2014 for the UK to get its own written version. Richard Pearce met and convinced Cormac McCarthy to write this screenplay way back in 1975 and they have remained friends ever since. It was made into a two hour film too and that is about the same time it takes to read - so quite short.It tells the tale of two families - The Greggs who are wealthy mill owners who own and rule the town of Graniteville. And the McEvoy's who work for the Greggs. Their son Bobby has suffered a leg injury which causes it to be amputated. He recovers physically but mentally he is scarred - so he ups and leaves. Only to return - full of bitterness- on hearing his mother is very sick.This is a work of great skill and it flows so easy in the normal poetic way of McCarthy that you almost forget how dark the subject matter is. I read in one sitting and as ever was left wanting more. I don't think he has ever written anything less than brilliant and hope he continues to do so for a very long time.

As with all of McCarthy's prose, this is very well written. The dialogue is sparse and sparing, indicative of the majority of the characters on display and summoning up a sepia-toned image of the period setting. Intermixed with the dialogue there are longer passages of description which move from scene to scene. As stated, this is a screenplay and not a novel. In some ways this can actually help to picture it as the camera actions are mentioned and this can actually focus the mind's eye.This is a short read that takes only an hour or two. As such, at the RRP I would definitely not consider it but it is widely available at a fraction of that price so one cannot have any complaints there. This does not hit the astronomical heights of the writer's longer works of fiction, some of which are so far beyond the pail that one is left in a state of stunned awe for long periods after reading them. However, this is an enjoyable read and matches up well to The Sunset Limited, surpassing it in some aspects (dependent on the interests of the reader really). I have recently purchased The Counselor but am yet to read it. In summary, I recommend to fans of McCarthy though others would probably want to start elsewhere (though this is short and accessible if you like screenplays).

great american writer