All the Pretty Horses

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
1992 National Book Award

John Grady Cole is a 16 year old cowboy. He was raised n his grandfathers ranch, but after the old mans death his mother decides to sell and move the boy to town. John Grady convinces his best friend Lacey to go to Mexico with him. On the trip down, the pair meet a kid claiming to be Jimmy Blevins. One night during a storm, Blevins freaks out. He lists a dozen or so relatives who have been struck by lightning. He strips down to get away from the metal in his clothes. During the storm his horse runs away and a flash flood carries off all his belongings.

A little later the three ride into a town where they spot the horse. Blevins steals it and hauls ass. John Grady and Lacey escape to and travel further south and eventually find work. He also finds the ranch owners daughter. And the posse finds them.

I liked this book more than I expected to. Although I LOVED Lonesome Dove I'm not much into westerns. I think I bought this soon after I read The Road a couple of years ago and wanted to read something else by McCarthy. I'm very glad I did.

White Noise

White Noise by Don Delillo
1985 National Book Award

Jack Gladney is a Hitler professor. He's on his fifth marriage. He's got kids and stepkids, some at home and some with other parents. He has a set of friends who like to sit around discussing deep thoughts.

Both Jack and his wife Babette are obsessed with death. They are both terrified of it. So when a toxic chemical cloud is released near town and Jack is exposed he has something to focus his fears on. But his wife has fallen into the influence of a scientist who convinces her he has a pill that will help her overcome her fear.

White Noise is about the chaos that is modern life. TV, traffic, other people, consumerism, our own personal demons. The list goes on and on. I liked the book. It was a quick read and a realistic view of modern life. Except it was written before the tide of cell phones hit society.

Lisey's Story

Lisey's Story by Stephen King
2006 Bram Stoker Award

Two years ago, Lisey lost her husband after 25 years of marriage. Now it's time to clean out his studio. She has gotten on with her life but going through his papers is stirring up memories. Scott was a Pulitzer winning author and since his death vultures are swarming trying to get Lisey to release all of his notes and unpublished works. And one professor has aimed a madman at her.

But being a King novel, there is a secret world that Scott shared with Lisey. And in this world is where Lisey will find the means to fight the killer stalking her.

It had a slow start but after King had it set up it moved along rather quickly. I liked the book. But. It wasn't quite as scary as most of his books. And there wasn't much humor in it. I expect the smart ass conversational tone of his books. This one seemed a little more remote.

Book Awards Reading Challenge IV

BookAwardChallengeIV

I'm a little late, but I'm in. As I did last year, I picked books I already had in my house. I buy more books than I read. And, unfortunately, my local library has an honor room where you can get books for a dollar or less. So I went through the award lists and found 8 on my shelves. Then I had to go through the books and look up the ones that may have won something. Snagged another like that. And as I was going through the books I kept seeing something I want to reread "someday" but I didn't know when "someday" was. So I decided it's now. I threw in one of my all-time favorites to round out the 10. If this isn't O.K. let me know.

Here's my list.

1928 Nobel
Sigrid Undset Ж The Bridal Wreath

1934 James Tait Black Prize
Robert Graves Ж I, Claudius

1985 National Book Award
Don DeLillo Ж White Noise

1989 Man Booker
Kazuo Ishiguro Ж The Remains of the Day

1992 National Book Critics Circle
Carmac McCarthy Ж All the Pretty Horses

1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize
E. Annie Proulx Ж The Shipping News

1999 Pen/Faulkner
Michael Cunningham Ж The Hours

2005 Alex Award
Jodi Picoult Ж My Sister's Keeper

2006 Bram Stoker Award
Stephen King Ж Lisey's Story

2009 Pulitzer Prize
Elizabeth Strout Ж Olive Kitteridge