History Creator / CormacMcCarthy

* ReclusiveArtist: While he does have conversations with journalists, he hates giving interviews, talking about his own work, or even talking about writing.

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=]; July 20, 1933 – June 13, 2023) was an American author.

Though he began his career in the 1960s, it was the publication of his novel ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992 that brought him widespread recognition, earning him two of the most prestigious literary awards, the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

While [=McCarthy=] wrote books in genres such as historical fiction, Southern Gothic, crime, and post-apocalyptic science fiction, most of his works are, at heart, Westerns. His books are infamous for their extreme content and use of {{Gorn}}. Murder, defilement, and wanton slaughter are par for the course of his works, so be warned if you choose to read them. That being said, they are also often said to be strongly written and deeply affecting. Common themes include existentialism, the importance of decency, the brutal reality of human nature, and the potential for evil that lurks within us all.

[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtk5ndq0odawov5bml5banbnxkftztcwnjkymji0na_v1_ux214_cr00214317_al.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:213:Looked like someone's granddad. Wrote stuff that would make Pol Pot cry.]]

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=]; July 20, 1933 - June 13, 2023) was an American novelist who has steadily risen in stature over the past 20 years. Though he had written since the 1960s, it was the publication of his book ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992 that brought him widespread recognition, even earning him two of the most prestigious literary awards, the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Interest in [=McCarthy=] skyrocketed after Creator/TheCoenBrothers' Oscar-winning adaptation of his novel ''Literature/NoCountryForOldMen'' and the adaptation of ''Literature/TheRoad''.

His reputation as one of the best American writers has cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind Creator/DonDeLillo's ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

While [=McCarthy=] has written books in genres such as historical fiction, Southern Gothic, crime, and post-apocalyptic science fiction, most of his works are, at heart, Westerns. His books are infamous for their extreme content and use of {{Gorn}}. Murder, defilement, and wanton slaughter are par for the course of his works, so be warned if you choose to read them. That being said, they are also often said to be strongly written and deeply affecting. Common themes include existentialism, the importance of decency, the brutal reality of human nature, and the potential for evil that lurks within us all.

[[caption-width-right:213:Looks like someone's granddad. Writes stuff that would make Pol Pot cry.]]

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=], July 20, 1933 - June 13, 2023) was an American novelist who has steadily risen in stature over the past 20 years. Though he had written since the 1960s, it was the publication of his book ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992 that brought him widespread recognition, even earning him two of the most prestigious literary awards, the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

While [=McCarthy=] has written books in genres such as historical fiction, Southern Gothic, crime and post-apocalyptic science fiction, most of his works are, at heart, Westerns. His books are infamous for their extreme content and use of {{Gorn}}. Murder, defilement, and wanton slaughter are par for the course of his works, so be warned if you choose to read them. That being said, they are also often said to be strongly written and deeply affecting. Common themes include existentialism, the importance of decency, the brutal reality of human nature, and the potential for evil that lurks within us all.

His books are also notable for their stylistic idiosyncrasies. [=McCarthy=] refuses to use quotation marks or exclamation marks, uses commas relatively sparingly and is fond of using extremely long run-on sentences when describing scenes. He often combines these traits for horrific effects, such as describing scenes of barbarity in long, breathless paragraphs that communicate what's going on with feverish intensity.

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=], July 20, 1933) is an American novelist who has steadily risen in stature over the past 20 years. Though he has written since the 1960s, it was the publication of his book ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992 that brought him widespread recognition, even earning him two of the most prestigious literary awards, the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers has cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind Creator/DonDeLillo's ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His books are also notable for their stylistic idiosyncrasies. [=McCarthy=] refuses to use commas, quotation marks or exclamation marks, and is fond of using extremely long run-on sentences when describing scenes. He often combines these traits for horrific effects, such as describing scenes of barbarity in long, breathless paragraphs that communicate what's going on with feverish intensity.

* EyeScream:
** [[spoiler:In ''The Crossing'', after the Mexican revolutionary mouths off to the German mercenary Wirtz and spits in his face, Wirtz proceeds to lick up the spittle, swallow it, smile, then ''sucks out the man's eyeballs with his mouth, leaving them to dangle down his face''. The revolutionary talks about how, due to his eyes hanging from his face via a handful of nerves, the world seems to jostle as his eyes sway back and forth on his march back to camp.]]
** The Kid from ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' stabs a bartender in the eye with a broken bottle [[DisproportionateRetribution because the bartender refused to pay him for sweeping the floor]].

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=], July 20, 1933) is an American novelist who has steadily risen in stature over the past 20 years. Though he has written since the 1960s, it was the publication of his book ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992 that brought him widespread recognition.

** ''Literature/CitiesOfThePlain'' (1998)

While [=McCarthy=] has written books in genres such as historical fiction, Southern Gothic, crime and post-apocalyptic science fiction, most of his works are, at heart, Westerns. His books are infamous for their extreme content and use of {{Gorn}}. Murder, defilement, and wanton slaughter are par for the course for his works, so be warned if you choose to read them. That being said, they are also often said to be strongly written and deeply affecting. Common themes include existentialism, the importance of decency, the brutal reality of human nature, and the potential for evil that lurks within us all.

* ''The Border Trilogy'' (1992-1998):

His reputation as one of the best living American writers has cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [[Creator/DonDeLillo Don DeLillo's]] ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

* AmbiguouslyHuman: Anton Chigurh and Judge Holden.

* EyeScream: In ''The Crossing'', after the Mexican revolutionary mouths off to the German mercenary Wirtz and spits in his face, Wirtz proceeds to lick up the spittle, swallow it, smile, then ''sucks out the man's eyeballs with his mouth, leaving them to dangle down his face''. The revolutionary talks about how, due to his eyes hanging from his face via a handful of nerves, the world seems to jostle as his eyes sway back and forth on his march back to camp.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers has cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [[CreatorDonDeLillo]]'s ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind {{CreatorDonDeLillo Don DeLillo's}} ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [[CreatorDonDeLillo Don DeLillo's]] ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [[CreatorDonDeLillo Don DeLillo's]]] ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [=Don DeLillo's=] ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a ''New York Times'' poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [=Don DeLillo's=] ''[[Literature/Underworld1997 Underworld]]'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a New York Times poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

* ''The Border Trilogy'' (1992-1998)

* ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' (1992)
* ''Literature/TheCrossing'' (1994)
* ''Literature/CitiesOfThePlain'' (1998)

* TheAntiNihilist: What "carrying the fire" means. It's for this reason that [=McCarthy=]'s work is often taught in conjunction with courses on [[UsefulNotes/FriedrichNietzsche Nietzsche]] (and to a lesser extent [[UsefulNotes/SorenKierkegaard Kierkegaard]]).

** ''The Border Trilogy'' (which comprises ''All the Pretty Horses'', ''The Crossing'', and ''Cities of the Plain'') is a whopping 1040 pages long.

Interest in [=McCarthy=] skyrocketed after Creator/TheCoenBrothers' Oscar-winning adaptation of his novel ''Literature/NoCountryForOldMen'' and the adaptation of ''The Road''.

A reclusive author, [=McCarthy=] surprised everybody when he agreed to give his first-ever television interview after [[Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow Oprah Winfrey]] selected ''Literature/TheRoad'' for her famous Book Club.

Interest in [=McCarthy=] skyrocketed after Creator/TheCoenBrothers' Oscar-winning adaptation of his novel ''Literature/NoCountryForOldMen'' and the adaptation of ''Literature/TheRoad''.

** "Call it" showed up in ''All the Pretty Horses'' before it became a motif throughout ''No Country for Old Men''.

* {{Deconstruction}}

* ''Film/TheSunsetLimited'' (2006 play, adapted into a television film in 2011)
* ''Literature/TheRoad'' (2006, adapted into a film in 2009)
* ''Film/TheCounselor'' (2013, screenplay)

[[caption-width-right:213:Looks like someone’s granddad. Writes stuff that would make Pol Pot cry.]]

Cormac [=McCarthy=] (born Charles [=McCarthy=], July 20, 1933) is an American novelist who has steadily risen in stature over the past 20 years. Though he has written since the 1960s, it was the publication of his book ''Literature/AllThePrettyHorses'' in 1992, and its subsequent cinematic adaptation, that brought him widespread recognition.

Interest in [=McCarthy=] skyrocketed after Creator/TheCoenBrothers’ Oscar-winning adaptation of his novel ''Literature/NoCountryForOldMen'' and the adaptation of ''Literature/TheRoad''.

His reputation as one of the best living American writers was cemented in the placing of his book ''Literature/BloodMeridian'' behind [=Don DeLillo's=] ''Literature/Underworld1997'' and Toni Morrison's ''Beloved'' in a New York Times poll of the Greatest American novels of the last 25 years.

His books are also notable for their stylistic idiosyncrasies. [=McCarthy=] refuses to use commas, quotation marks or exclamation marks, and is fond of using extremely long run-on sentences when describing scenes. He often combines these traits for horrific effect, such as describing scenes of barbarity in long, breathless paragraphs that communicate what's going on with feverish intensity.

In early 2012, he made a big splash by selling his first screenplay, titled ''Film/TheCounselor'', a drug thriller about a naive attorney who becomes involved in the drug trade. It was immediately picked up by the producers of the film adaptation of ''Literature/TheRoad'', with Creator/RidleyScott signing on to direct.

!!Works by [=McCarthy=] with their own pages include: