"So probably like a lot of people, I'm sort of caught by the cover, and here was this stark black cover with plain red lettering; and I thought, "People think this guy's terrific, I'll give him a shot."
It's a post-apocalyptic story of a father and a son in this world where everything is ash and just their attempt to survive day by day, pushing a grocery cart with whatever meager amounts of food that they have or can get, trying to deal with all that's happened around them without having a real strong sense what has happened.
I can't think of a book that has been more powerful for me to read since I read Beloved 20 years ago. The experience of reading this book, the ability he had to create this world and these characters in such a powerful way was one where -- and I've never had this experience before -- I had to stop when I was reading at various times because it became so harrowing that I had to put the book down and look around me and kind of remind myself, okay, I'm okay, and my son, who at one point was sitting next to me, is okay, and this is just a fictional world that's being described here.
I would probably say kind of high school age on up would enjoy this book, but you have to be brave. It's a book that asks you as a reader to come with him on this trip into this world that's not very pleasant. Can I give it ten out of five stars? I mean I really do; this is a book that in my lifetime of reading is probably in the top ten of all time. I just found it to be an amazing, amazing piece of writing. But I'll be honest: I have talked to people after I read this book; I will never be able to read this book again. I even have a hard time mentally going back to it. It was such a powerful experience."
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