“The
suspense of a novel is not only in the reader, but in the novelist, who is
intensely curious about what will happen to the hero.”
– Mary McCarthy
Born on this date in 1912, McCarthy
was orphaned at age 6 when her parents both died in the great flu epidemic that
swept the world right after World War I.
After living in fairly harsh conditions for several years, and separated
from her siblings, she was finally taken in by her maternal grandparents who
raised her to adulthood and also helped shape her views on politics and
writing.
As an adult she not only became a
renowned writer and teacher 
but also a political activist, particularly as an
opponent of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Her most acclaimed works were The Company She Keeps and The Group, the latter on the New York Times Bestseller List for over
2 years. Over the years she authored
over two dozen books and won numerous awards including the National Medal for
Literature.
but also a political activist, particularly as an
opponent of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Her most acclaimed works were The Company She Keeps and The Group, the latter on the New York Times Bestseller List for over
2 years. Over the years she authored
over two dozen books and won numerous awards including the National Medal for
Literature.
As a professor at several prestigious
colleges and universities, she said she often told students not to be afraid to
include elements of one’s own life in the words that you share. “We all live in suspense from day to day; in
other words, you are the hero of your own story.”
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