Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy (Charles Joseph McCarthy Jr.) was born on July 20th, 1933. Cormac passed away June 13th, 2023 at 89 years old. Cormac McCarthy was born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Cormac McCarthy is known for writing in the Western and Literary Fiction genres.

Cormac McCarthy had written 7 standalone novels, starting with The Orchard Keeper in 1965. The most recently released novel was The Road, which was released in 2006.

Cormac McCarthy also wrote the Standalone Plays series which has 4 books including The Stonemason and The Gardener's Son.

Cormac McCarthy: Awards & Accolades

McCarthy's books have won multiple awards, All the Pretty Horses won the National Book Awards, Best Fiction, in 1992. The Road won The Believer, Believer Best Book Award, in 2006. No Country for Old Men won the Maltese Falcon Society, Falcon Award, in 2008.

Cormac McCarthy books have also been nominated for multiple awards, No Country for Old Men was nominated for the Hammett Prize, Best Crime Novel, in 2005. The Sunset Limited was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Audio Drama, in 2011. The Passenger was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction, in 2022.

Cormac McCarthy: Lists & Other Mentions

• The Road was the Oprah's Book Club March 2007 Pick.
• The Road has made several lists including:
  1. AbeBooks: 100 (Fiction) Books to Read in a Lifetime Selection in 2018.
  2. The Sunday Times: 100 21st-Century Novels to Love Selection in 2019.
  3. NPR: 100 Best Beach Books Selection in 2009.
  4. The Guardian: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Section in 2019.
  5. New York Times: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Selection in 2024.
  6. Amazon UK: 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime Selection in 2014.
  7. Amazon US: 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime Selection in 2014.
  8. BBC: 100 Novels That Shaped Our World Selection in 2019.
  9. People Magazine: Best Books From the 2000s Selection in 2024.
  10. Paste Magazine: Best Books of the Decade(2000-2009) Selection in 2009.
  11. Book Riot: From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books Selection in 2013.
  12. Literary Hub: Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World Selection in 2015.
  13. Telerama: The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century Selection in 2025.
  14. Esquire: The 80 Books Every Man Should Read Selection in 2015.
  15. The Onion AV Club: The Best Books of the 2000s Selection in 2009.
  16. The Millions: The Best Fiction of the Millennium Selection in 2009.
  17. Entertainment Weekly: The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 Selection in 2008.
  18. Refinery29: The Ultimate Book Bucket List Selection in 2023.
  19. Entertainment Weekly: Top 100 Novels Selection in 2013.
  20. NPR: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books Selection in 2011.
• All the Pretty Horses was an NPR: 100 Best Beach Books Selection in 2009 and a BBC: Radio Oxford 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die Selection in 2020.
• Blood Meridian has made several lists including:
  1. Modern Library: 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century: Readers' List Selection in 1998.
  2. Ex Libris: 100 Books to Read and Reread Selection in 2020.
  3. Time Magazine: All-Time 100 Novels Selection in 2005.
  4. Esquire: The 80 Books Every Man Should Read Selection in 2015.
  5. Oxford American: The Best Southern Novels of All Time Selection in 2009.
• Suttree has made several lists including:
  1. Modern Library: 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century: Readers' List Selection in 1998.
  2. Literary Hub: Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World Selection in 2015.
  3. Parade: The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years Selection in 2016.
  4. Oxford American: The Best Southern Novels of All Time Selection in 2009.
• The Passenger was a New York Times: 100 Notable Books Selection in 2022.
• No Country for Old Men has made several lists including:
  1. Complex: 50 Books to Read Before You Die Selection in 2012.
  2. Literary Hub: Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World Selection in 2015.
  3. NPR: Top 100 Killer Thrillers Selection in 2010.

Cormac McCarthy: TV/Movies Based on Books

All the Pretty Horses was made into a film in the year 2000, produced and directed by Billy Bob Thornton. The film starred Matt Damon as John Grady Cole, Henry Thomas as Lacey Rawlins, and Penélope Cruz as Alejandra Villarreal. The film was received negatively upon release, but film critic Roger Ebert was one of its fans as he rated it three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Child of God was turned into a 2013 film. It was co-written and directed by James Franco who also appeared in the film as Jerry. The movie starred Scott Haze as Lester Ballard and Tim Blake Nelson as Sheriff Fate.

No Country for Old Men may be the best adaptation of McCarthy's work. Adapted by the Coen brothers, the film was a critical and commercial success. It was nominated for awards all over the place with the biggest wins coming at the Academy Awards. No Country for Old Men won the award for Best Picture while Javier Bardem won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role; the Coen brothers won Achievement in Directing (Best Director) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Road became a 2009 film starring Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The film, much like the book, was extremely dark which was perhaps too much for some critics and viewers. It did have critical success though with generally favorable reviews and award nominations.

The Sunset Limited is another adaptation of McCarthy's work, but it was based on a play that he wrote instead of a novel. The film was directed by and starred Tommy Lee Jones alongside Samuel L. Jackson.

Related Authors

Fans of Cormac McCarthy also enjoy these authors:

1. Patrick deWitt, author of: The Sisters Brothers.
2. Percival Everett, author of: James.
3. Hernan Diaz, author of: Trust.
4. Annie Proulx, author of: The Shipping News.
5. Donna Tartt, author of: The Goldfinch.
6. Jane Austen, author of: Pride and Prejudice.
7. Elizabeth Strout, author of the Olive Kitteridge Series.
8. Sally Rooney, author of: Normal People.
9. Anne Tyler, author of: The Accidental Tourist.
10. J.D. Salinger, author of: The Catcher in the Rye.

Cormac McCarthy: F.A.Q