The Crossing

The Crossing forms the second part of Cormac McCarthy's critically acclaimed Border Trilogy, a story that began with All the Pretty Horses and concludes with Cities of the Plain.

This profound narrative, set on the south-western ranches in the years before the Second World War, follows the fortunes of sixteen-year-old Billy Parham and his younger brother Boyd. The Crossing delves deep into themes of brotherhood, freedom, and the inexorable passage of time, punctuated by the stark beauty and brutality of the borderlands.

Fascinated by an elusive wolf that has been marauding his family's property, Billy captures the animal but, instead of killing it, sets out impulsively to return it to the mountains of Mexico where it belongs. This journey becomes a test of endurance and morality, as Billy encounters a diverse cast of characters and witnesses the vast, indifferent landscape's capacity for both cruelty and redemption.

When Billy returns to his home, he finds a world irrevocably changed. His loss of innocence comes at a significant price, and once again, the border beckons with its desolate beauty and cruel promise, demanding both resilience and sacrifice.

McCarthy's prose in The Crossing is lyrical yet unflinching, capturing the essence of a time and place where survival is tenuous, and every choice carries stark consequences. His narrative weaves together the internal and external landscapes, inviting readers into a meditative and unforgettable odyssey.

The Times describes The Crossing as "like a river in full spate: beautiful and dangerous," encapsulating the novel's potent mix of poetic elegance and stark realism.

This edition is part of the Picador Collection, celebrating the best in contemporary literature as part of Picador's 50th Anniversary. Cormac McCarthy's eagerly anticipated new novels, The Passenger and Stella Maris, will also be published by Picador in October 2022.