Cormac McCarthy on Television

Thoughts from a reformed luddite

For over a decade, Cormac McCarthy and his publishers did a beautiful job of making Cormac appear as a stoic, reclusive, antisocial writer who stood against progress. But what was McCarthy’s relationship with technology? In his later years, McCarthy didn’t own a cell phone or a computer. In his earlier years of writing, McCarthy, to his own admission, went YEARS without seeing a screen. How good must that be for you as a writer? Below is a transcript from McCarthy’s unreleased interview where he talks about his relationship with television. A video of me discussing the quote is also included.

Woodward: Do you have a television?