Thirteen months after Cormac McCarthy’s death, scholars gained exclusive access to his final residence and personal library near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The sprawling collection, estimated at over 20,000 books, reveals a polymathic intellect with wide-ranging interests from advanced mathematics and philosophy to automotive mechanics and biology. McCarthy’s annotations provide rare insight into the literary influences and intellectual pursuits of this famously private author. His home was cluttered yet architecturally crafted by McCarthy himself, underscoring his versatility beyond writing. The library cataloging by volunteers has uncovered his deep engagement with challenging subjects such as quantum physics and Wittgenstein’s philosophy, as well as unexpected fascinations like naked mole-rats and kitchenware. Despite his public image as reclusive and austere, the collection shows McCarthy’s insatiable curiosity and complex character, including his reflections on the universe’s intelligence and his complicated personal history. The project to organize and interpret this trove is ongoing but promises to deepen understanding of McCarthy’s literary genius and personal life.
Original title: Two Years After Cormac McCarthy’s Death, Rare Access to His Personal Library Reveals the Man Behind the Myth
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