McCarthy, Cormac | Three early autograph letters signed, regarding a literary prize

McCarthy, Cormac

Three early autograph letters signed, regarding Blood Meridian and the 1985 Spur Award for literature, written in 1986  

Three autograph letters, one page each (280 x 217 mm). Each signed ("Cormac McCarthy"), with two addressed to Charlotte Hinger and one to Judy Alter; old folds and minor creases, two letters with neat annotations in another hand. [With:] Two typed letters signed, one page each (215 x 140 mm and 280 x 217 mm). Each addressed to Charlotte Hinger. [And:] Cormac McCarthy. Blood Meridian. New York: Random House, 1985. 8vo. Original cloth-backed boards, spine gilt-lettered. Original dust-jacket; small nick to foot of spine panel. First edition.

Three letters from the notoriously reclusive author, related to Blood Meridian and the 1985 Spur Award. With the copy of Blood Meridian McCarthy submitted for consideration.

"Dear Judy[,] I was not able to attend the Western Writers of America convention in Fort Worth this past June but if my recollection is correct I was supposed to get a scroll and I am writing to you to ask how I may obtain it."

The Judy mentioned is Judy Alter, who once served as president of Western Writers of America, and was former secretary of the Texas Institute of Letters. The Spur Awards are literary prizes given annually by Western Writers of America, and Blood Meridian would have been considered for the 1985 award for fiction, which was presented in 1986. Despite the merits of Blood Meridian, McCarthy had stiff competition, and the prize was ultimately awarded to Larry McMurtry for Lonesome Dove.

Alter passed McCarthy's request for the scroll or certificate on to Charlotte Hinger, who was chairman of the 1985 Spur Award. In a letter dated 26 September 1986 (a copy of which is included here), she wrote to the author: "Judy Alter forwarded your note regarding your finalist certificate. As you can see by the enclosed memo, I sent it to Random House, September 5. Please let me know if you don't receive it in very short time. [...] BLOOD MERIDIAN was an especially intriguing book that I personally enjoyed very much. Congratulations on your fine contribution to western literature." Three months later, McCarthy responded:

"Dear Charlotte Hinge[,] I've been our of the country (South America) for two months but I don't think I acknowledged receipt of the certificate. It did arrive and I was very pleased to have it."

Cormac McCarthy is now regarded as one of the greatest novelists America has ever produced. He presented to the public a reclusive, austere, inscrutable facade, and personal correspondence of McCarthy's is scarce on the market. The present letters offer a rare and intimate look into McCarthy's ambitions as a writer.