Zé Burnay
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One trilogy of Books + One Record #10
🕑 Added 2022-08-29 11:35:58 +0000 UTCThe Border Trilogy:
I probably mention being a fan of him often enough that it's no surprise I'm a big fan of Cormac McCarthy. I promise It's not all I read but every time I finish one of his books (still have a few to read)I'm just floored by them and want to talk about them with people. The stories, the way they are written. The scenes. The imagery. It's just all so much my thing that other writers just don't do it for me like McCarthy.
Anyway. I just finished Cities Of The Plain, the final book of the Border Trilogy and the ending made me cry like a b a b y. There's something amazing about a few words on a page that can make you react that way.
The books are a beautiful and poignant look into changing ways of life and the romanticism vs reality of them. With just incredible dialogue and characters you grow attached too and scene after scene of poetic and harsh prose.
I was somewhat reticent to start reading these because ranch life isn't a subject I'm interested in (besides some of books 1 and 3, it's not really set in ranches all that much actually). When it comes to westerns, I love men vs nature stories. Don't particularly care about cowboy stuff. But all these books go way beyond it. Just letting you know in case the synopsis don't grab you.
You can read All The Pretty Horses or The Crossing (which might very well be my favorite book ever, tied with Blood Meridian) in any order as long a you read Cities last so I suggest you pick the one who grabs you the most. ATPH is slightly more conventional and approachable and makes a great intro into McCarthy. The Crossing is much more rewarding but longer and more disjointed and much much darker and weirder. Read these books, you won't regret it. 
Mojave Between Ludlow and Needles by Andrew Weathers
I've been writing to this record a lot lately. It's warm and sparse and very atmospheric. Great morning record.
https://andrewweathers.bandcamp.com/album/mojave-between-ludlow-and-needles
If you have any reading or music recommendations, let me know.
Best,
Zé
