This is a comprehensive review of all three books, neatly presented in this one volume.

Gosh, what an engaging read it has been! McCarthy is truly a remarkable writer of epics, and that's precisely what these books are. The first book, "All the Pretty Horses," was perhaps my absolute favorite, mainly because of its coherent and captivating story line. However, due to his unique writing style, I often found myself confused about the identities of the characters. For instance, I wasn't always sure whether it was Grady or Rawlins with the girl.

The second book, "The Crossing," initially seemed to me like a mere repeat of the first, just with different details. But after reading the first 300 or so pages, it truly came into its own and展现出 its独特的魅力.

The third book, "Cities of the Plain," was by far the most confusing. If I had trouble keeping track of just two characters in the previous books, how was I supposed to manage a half-dozen in this one? Nevertheless, it was also the most emotionally impactful, especially after having read a total of 1000 pages.

I didn't really mind the confusion over who was who too much, as it all seemed to work itself out in the end. However, the rambling interactions, such as those in the epilogue of "Cities of the Plain" and with the preacher in "The Crossing," were the hardest to stay interested in. But perhaps that's my fault for not being able to keep up.

The untranslated Spanish in the books was certainly an interesting touch. As an antipodean who knows no Spanish and can only guess at its meaning, I liked the mystery it added. But at the same time, I also really wanted to know exactly what they were saying!

In many ways, this trilogy is about nostalgia, or sehnsucht, for a time and a life that can never be, and perhaps never was. Thank you, Cormac, for taking us on this unforgettable journey.

I'm not sure any review could do this justice.

It was truly astounding. From the very beginning, it had me completely captivated. The details, the emotions, the atmosphere - everything was just perfect.

As I experienced it, I knew that this would stay with me for a very long time. It's one of those rare things that leaves an indelible mark on your soul.

Even now, as I think back on it, I can still feel the same sense of wonder and awe. It's a memory that I will cherish and hold dear, and I know that it will continue to influence my thoughts and feelings for years to come.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for an unforgettable experience. You won't be disappointed.

When it comes to a series, this might very well be the best one that I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with.

I am truly enamored with the way in which the first two books seem to have no connection whatsoever to each other. However, as the story progresses, the last book gradually and masterfully brings them all together.

When Billy Parham has his final chapter in the concluding book, it has the power to bring me to tears. Here is a character who is essentially a washed-up nobody, yet at the same time, he serves as a crucial link to the past. The depth of his love for his deceased siblings, even half a century after he last saw them, is truly heart-wrenching.

I find myself pitying Cormac McCarthy. Through his writing, I am able to catch a small glimpse into his mind, and what I see is a genius who is tortured and perhaps a bit ugly on the inside. But despite all of this, he is truly amazing. His ability to create such complex and vivid characters and weave together such a captivating story is nothing short of extraordinary.

All three books are incredibly powerful.

The first two books introduce the two main characters who meet in the third one. However, you have the option to read each of them separately.

Each book has a certain sad inevitability, yet you can completely immerse yourself in the unique writing style.

Even the passages in Spanish, which for the most part remain untranslated, add to the overall texture and atmosphere of the story.

Even if you don't understand the dialog in Spanish, you can still gather the general meaning.

It simply means that you have to pay a bit more attention, but that's not a difficult task to accomplish.

This is because the characters and descriptions are extremely vivid, making it easy for you to engage with the story on a deeper level.

You'll find yourself drawn into the world created by the author, experiencing the emotions and events along with the characters.

The untranslated Spanish passages actually enhance the authenticity and add an extra layer of mystery to the narrative.

Overall, these three books offer a rich and engaging reading experience that is not to be missed.

I have been wanting to read this for a long while, and then finally I did. There are a lot lot of words in these novels. However, in the end, the question that lingers is what was it all about? The law of diminishing returns definitely applied for me in this case. As I read each novel, I found it less and less exciting. Indeed, I quite liked “All the Pretty Horses”. It had a certain charm and appeal. And I didn't mind “The Crossing” either, especially the first half which was quite engaging. But when it came to “Cities of the Plain”, I really struggled. It's not so much the plots themselves, which are interesting in their own right. But rather, it's the slow progress, the countless words, the extremely long diversions and sideways.

All in all, I am happy that I took this off my bucket list. It was an experience that I can now look back on. But in retrospect, if I had known what it would be like, I probably wouldn't have put it on my bucket list in the first place. It was a bit of a mixed bag, with some parts being enjoyable and others being a real slog.

Mi mancheranno i fagioli con tortillas di questi cowboy. Sono stati una parte importante della mia esperienza. Quelli fagioli avevano un sapore unico, e le tortillas erano sempre morbide e deliziose. E poi c'è l'amore per i cavalli di John Grady <3. John Grady aveva una passione per quei magnifici animali che era davvero contagiosa. Guardandolo cavalcando, potevi vedere la gioia nella sua faccia. Era come se il mondo intero scomparisse intorno a lui quando era in sella a un cavallo. Mi mancheranno tutti questi momenti unici e speciali, insieme a questa storia affascinante.

This text seems to be a rather passionate and perhaps somewhat idiosyncratic description of something.

It starts by exclaiming how beautiful it is, being both beautiful and poetic, filled with horses, dust, cigarettes, misfortune, and pessimism. It's written in a Texan style where it takes about 100 pages to understand that "of" means "have" and "moren" means "more than".

Then, between the lines, one realizes that time doesn't exist, the place is so vast that it seems tiny because no matter how much one moves, one always remains there. Thoughts and intentions don't count for anything, only the facts matter. Small facts decomposed into gestures, like a thumb on the brim of a hat, expanded until they become eternal. These small gestures make history and tell the emotions that can't be expressed in a world with so few words.

However, damn it, in the third book, it becomes unbearable.

Overall, it's a vivid and somewhat chaotic account that leaves the reader with a sense of both wonder and frustration.

McCarthy's work truly delves into a period that is completely tragic. Picture this: you're still relying on a horse for transportation while everyone around you is driving cars. As time passes, you grow old, having been a migrant worker your entire life. Your skills, which were once of some value, are now dwindling in importance in a rapidly modernizing world.

In your youth, you showed great compassion by dragging a pregnant wolf all the way to Mexico, not wanting to kill her. However, fate had other plans. She was taken from you and met a tragic end in a dogfight. "The Crossing" is, without a doubt, the saddest book I have ever had the misfortune to read.

It is filled with rape, murder, vengeance, and cruelty. But beneath all of this violence and horror lies a vast, bottomless river of the most morbid sadness. This sadness is so profound that it defies description in words. It leaves the reader with a sense of heaviness and despair that lingers long after the final page has been turned.

The fire burned down, and the temperature dropped, causing them to huddle closer to the flames. They fed the fire with sticks and old brittle limbs that they broke from the wind-twisted wrecks of trees along the rimrock. As they sat there, the older men shared stories of the old west that once was, while the younger men listened intently.

Gradually, light began to show in the gap of the mountain above them and then faintly along the desert floor below. This scene set the stage for the exploration of themes that would贯穿 the Border Trilogy.

The first volume, All the Pretty Horses, combined lyrical prose with the laconic wit of its cowboy protagonists. McCarthy skillfully balanced the everyday details of ranch life with mythic and phantasmagorical imaginings.

In The Crossing, two young brothers, Billy and Boyd Parham, embark on a doomed quest that plunges them into the bloody maelstrom of Mexican politics. The novel explores themes of good and evil, fate and responsibility, and the nature of friendship.

The final volume, Cities of the Plain, is spare and almost allegorical. It reunites John Grady Cole with Billy Parham and focuses on John Grady's doomed relationship with a Mexican prostitute. The West is changing, and the question is whether the heroes will adapt or rebel against this change.

Throughout the trilogy, McCarthy speculates on the nature of stories and how they shape our lives. Each man is the bard of his own existence, assembling the events of his life into a narrative that defines him.

Combine these three novels, and you have a masterpiece of contemporary fiction and a worthy contribution to the literature of the West. McCarthy's ability to tell a story and explore complex themes makes him a master storyteller.

In conclusion, the Border Trilogy is a must-read for anyone interested in the American West, the nature of stories, and the human condition. It is a work that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.

I completed the final installment of the trilogy, namely "Cities of the Plain." To my surprise, I found that I derived much greater enjoyment from it this time around compared to my initial reading. It truly stands as a masterpiece, uniting the protagonists from the first two books. These individuals have now become good friends and are engaged in working on a ranch located in West Texas, just outside of El Paso, during the early 1950s.

One aspect of the book that left a profound impression on me was the vivid portrayal of the life of working cowboys during that era. I am at a loss to understand how McCarthy could have crafted such a detailed and accurate account without spending a significant amount of time living and closely observing the goings-on at a ranch. His descriptions of horse training and riding, roping, and numerous other minute details are simply captivating. Another remarkable feature is the highly realistic dialogue among the characters on the ranch. This is precisely the manner in which male friends interact with one another, and it is predominantly through their conversations that the plot gradually unfolds.

The main storyline of the book unfolds in a manner reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy, and for all I know, it might very well have been inspired by one. It touched me far more deeply than it did during my original reading, leading me to rate this book - if not the entire trilogy - among the very best that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Throughout the narrative, McCarthy persists in elaborating on some of his favored philosophical themes. However, it almost never descends into the heavy-handedness that was evident in the middle book, "The Crossing." Now, if only someone could shed light on that one sequence in the epilogue chapter...

Another Western epic is recommended for you to read.

Imagine having the Red Dead ambience playing out of a low-quality phone speaker next to you as you immerse yourself in the story.

I had to take a long break about a third of the way into the second one, which I think is the best among them. It seemed similar to the first, yet I can't remember much of that one.

I flew through the third one, which is probably the weakest. Maybe I'm not smart enough, but by the end, this was approaching too much profundity.

Perhaps 1040ish pages of literary mastery spoils the reader, and they stop fully appreciating it.

Nevertheless, it's still a remarkable work that offers a unique experience in the Western genre.

Whether you're a fan of Westerns or just looking for a captivating read, this epic is worth giving a try.

Who knows, you might find yourself completely engrossed in its world and characters.

So, grab your book, turn on that Red Dead ambience, and let the adventure begin!

All the Pretty Horses is a remarkable novel that earns a solid 4 stars. It takes readers on a captivating journey through the lives of its characters, filled with adventure, love, and self-discovery. The story unfolds in a vivid and engaging manner, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

The Crossing, on the other hand, is an absolute masterpiece that deserves a perfect 5 stars. It delves deeper into the human psyche and explores themes of morality, fate, and the consequences of our actions. The writing is superb, with rich descriptions and a powerful narrative that leaves a lasting impact on the reader.

Cities of the Plain rounds out this trilogy with a very impressive 4.5 stars. It continues the story of the main characters, tying up loose ends and providing a satisfying conclusion. The novel explores the complex relationships between the characters and the challenges they face as they navigate through life. Overall, this is a must-read trilogy for any lover of literature.