Cities of the Plain

Cities of the Plain is the final chapter of Cormac McCarthy's epic Border Trilogy, set in 1952 New Mexico. John Grady Cole falls in love with a sex worker south of the border, leading to dangerous events. The novel captures the essence of a country on the cusp of change, where the cowboy lifestyle is fading and modernity looms. McCarthy's prose is haunting, terrifying, and biblical, with an evangelical power.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 04 August 2022
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

The final chapter of Cormac McCarthy's epic Border Trilogy, "Cities of the Plain," brings the American frontier to its brutal and inescapable end. Set in 1952, New Mexico, the story follows John Grady Cole, who works as a ranch hand alongside Billy Parnham from "The Crossing." The military encroaches on the ranch from the north, while the mountains of Mexico, with their irresistible pull, beckon to John Grady. When he falls in love with a sex worker south of the border, events are set in motion that will prove as dangerous as they are unstoppable. "Cities of the Plain" is a haunting and deeply felt novel that captures the essence of a country on the cusp of change, where the cowboy lifestyle is fading into memory and modernity looms on the horizon. McCarthy's writing is characterized by its terrifying and absolute nature, often evoking a religious impulse. His prose takes on an almost biblical quality, hallucinatory in its effect and evangelical in its power. He has been praised for his ability to present the darker human impulses in his rich prose, showing readers the necessity of facing up to existence. "Cities of the Plain" is part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.

Weight: 220g
Dimension: 129 x 195 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781035003761