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Cover of The Son by Philipp MeyerThe Son
Modern · Fiction, Adventure, War

The Son

by Philipp Meyer
2012 · 689 pages · Fiction
70.7Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 17 hours to read · about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Part epic of Texas, part coming-of-age story and part examination of the bloody price of power, Philipp Meyer's novel follows the McCullough family across two centuries, from a boy captured by the Comanche in 1849 to an oil fortune and its heirs.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. It's a sweeping, violent and gripping American saga.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It alternates between three family members in different eras. It's violent.

By the numbers

70.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics32 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller40 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz2 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalist (2014)

Reads as

Moving, Epic, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Quick answers

Is The Son worth reading?

Yes. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. It ranks #1,209 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Son about?

Part epic of Texas, part coming-of-age story and part examination of the bloody price of power, Philipp Meyer's novel follows the McCullough family across two centuries, from a boy captured by the Comanche in 1849 to an oil fortune and its heirs.

How long does it take to read The Son?

About 17 hours (689 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Son?

If you liked it, try Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne or Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.