Unpacking the Mysteries of McCarthy: A Literary Bad Boy’s Secret Muse
Ah, Cormac McCarthy! The man who gave us The Road—a gripping tale of a father and son battling desolation, cannibals, and probably his own third marriage! But it seems our dear Cormac wasn’t just toying with post-apocalyptic narratives; he had a rather juicy subplot of his own. According to a recent Vanity Fair piece, the esteemed author had a rendezvous with a 16-year-old when he was a sprightly 42. Now, if that doesn’t scream ‘plot twist’, I don’t know what does!
Meet Augusta Britt, who at 64 recently decided to reveal her tumultuous relationship with McCarthy—a romantic saga that sounds like a crossover between a Lifetime movie and one of those suspenseful thrillers McCarthy is known for. They met unexpectedly at a motel pool where, armed with nothing less than a stolen Colt revolver, she approached McCarthy for an autograph. Forget celebrity crushes; this girl was packing heat! And I don’t mean the kind that makes you sweat at the thought of a beach vacation.
Speaking of heat, this relationship quickly escalated after a rather unfortunate beating triggered a hospital visit for Britt. It was then the literary legend reportedly coaxed her to leave her abusive home for a life of, let’s say, questionable merit in Mexico. How romantic: “Forget the diamonds, darling, let’s flee from statutory rape allegations together!” Talk about a dramatic love story!
By the time McCarthy was 43, they were exploring the metaphorical roads of their own narrative, ensuring that some of McCarthy’s genius was gleaned from real-life experiences—or shall we say, *questionable* choices? Britt suggests that the echoes of their tumultuous love affair can be traced through at least ten of his novels. Would you believe one of the characters in No Country for Old Men, Llewelyn Moss, has a wife who married him at 16? Coincidence? I think not!
But lest you think McCarthy was all about the romance—a common misdirection of literary figures—he was also apparently quite skilled at scoring relationship own-goals. At one point, as Britt moved in with him in El Paso, she uncovered that Cormac had another family! A son the same age as her. Now that is one family reunion nobody wants on the holiday list.
Fast forward to 1981: McCarthy scored a MacArthur Fellowship—the equivalent of winning the lottery for writers who want to avoid the grim realities of capitalism! With that sweet cash flow, Britt got to visit her family, only to, you guessed it, not come back! Talk about a plot device straight out of a novel, eh? And yet, the flame never fully extinguished; McCarthy continued visiting her in Tucson until the end of his life.
Now, in a classic case of the past catching up, as the literary world prepares for the release of McCarthy’s complete archives next autumn, Britt is bravely ready to share her side of the story. “I’ve been so afraid to tell my story,” she confessed, “but then I thought, what’s the worst that could happen? I might pigeonhole myself in the literary aisle of scandal!”
In all seriousness, Cormac McCarthy’s life certainly played out like one of his novels—filled with dark romance, turbulent relationships, and sharp observations on life. When it comes to literature, few writers have captured existential dread quite like him. Yet, in hindsight, it begs the question: can we separate the artist from his messy, and at times questionable, life? Or are we all just savoring the irony that the man who penned words of eternal despair had a love life with just as much chaos?
So let us toast to Cormac McCarthy, a flawed genius whose legacy is as layered as a well-crafted plot—perhaps just a tad more scandalous than expected!
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Cormac McCarthy, the esteemed author known for his profound narratives in masterpieces like The Road and Suttree, passed away last year at the age of 89. His life, marked by literary brilliance, also harbored a controversial chapter, as he began a relationship with a 16-year-old girl when he was 42. This young woman would later refashion herself into his “secret muse,” as highlighted in a recent Vanity Fair article.
McCarthy, who famously shied away from public attention, gave very few interviews throughout his lifetime, leaving the world largely in the dark about his personal affairs. However, it is noted that he entered the bonds of matrimony three times, traversed the landscapes of Spain and Texas, and ultimately made New Mexico his home.
Augusta Britt, now 64, recounted her first encounter with McCarthy at a motel pool in Tucson, Arizona, a place she frequented during her tumultuous childhood, “in and out of foster care.” The familiarity struck her, and upon returning home, she realized he was the same author whose photograph adorned the back of The Orchard Keeper, his debut novel.
The following day, armed with a Colt revolver she had stolen from the proprietor of her foster home—an item she had come to carry after facing violence from both her father and foster parents—she returned to the pool. McCarthy was still there and, upon seeing her, humorously asked if she intended to shoot him, to which she replied that she only wanted him to sign her book.
Britt recalled that their relationship blossomed, and in 1977, after she suffered a severe beating that led to a hospital admission, McCarthy encouraged her to leave her troubled home and escape with him to Mexico.
They traveled along the path that inspired Blood Meridian, a novel McCarthy was immersed in at the time, published years later in 1985. This work narrates the harrowing journey of a fictional teenager who flees Tennessee for the harsh realities of the U.S.-Mexico border. Britt revealed to Vanity Fair that their escapade drew the attention of state police and the FBI, as McCarthy feared the repercussions of statutory rape allegations or violations of the Mann Act, which outlaws human trafficking. However, Vanity Fair found no substantiation for any police or federal inquiry into their lives.
Britt stated that their intimate relationship began when she was just 17, while McCarthy was 43. “I loved him,” she conveyed, adding, “He was my safety. I really feel that if I had not met him, I would have died young. What I had trouble with came later. When he started writing about me.”
Journalist Vincenzo Barney, who engaged with Britt, posits that her influence is evident in at least ten of McCarthy’s novels. A clear instance is found in No Country for Old Men, where one character’s backstory mirrors Britt’s—Llewelyn Moss becomes separated from his 16-year-old wife. Britt shared that McCarthy proposed twice during their time together, yet on both occasions, he hesitated to follow through.
Following their journey to Mexico, Britt moved in with McCarthy in El Paso, Texas. It was during this period she uncovered the startling truth that he was still married, eventually learning he also had a son about her age. McCarthy had previously married English singer Annie DeLisle in 1966.
In 1981, McCarthy was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, an accolade that allowed Britt to reconnect with her family. “I just never came back,” she recounted.
Despite their separation, the pair reportedly maintained contact, with McCarthy making regular visits to Britt in Tucson until his death.
After more than four decades of keeping her relationship with McCarthy under wraps, Britt has decided to share her narrative, along with the love letters exchanged between them. This decision comes ahead of the anticipated release of the second half of McCarthy’s archives at Texas State University next autumn, which is likely to include her correspondence. “I’ve been so afraid to tell my story,” Britt admitted. “It feels like I’m being disloyal to Cormac … But he would always warn me that at some point his archives would open up and people would find out about me.”
– How did Augusta Britt’s relationship with Cormac McCarthy influence his literary works?
### Interview with Augusta Britt: Cormac McCarthy’s Secret Muse
**Host:** Welcome to our literary podcast today! We have a very special Alex Reed, Augusta Britt, who has recently opened up about her complex relationship with the late Cormac McCarthy. Augusta, thank you for joining us!
**Augusta Britt:** Thank you for having me! It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking to share my story after all these years.
**Host:** Your revelations in the recent Vanity Fair article have stirred a lot of discussion. Can you tell us a little about how your relationship with McCarthy began?
**Augusta:** Absolutely! We first met at a motel pool when I was just 16. It was a wild encounter—I came back the next day with a stolen Colt revolver because I was very much a product of a turbulent childhood. I thought I’d ask him for an autograph, and he jokingly asked if I was there to shoot him! We quickly got to know each other, and a bond formed rather unexpectedly.
**Host:** That sounds like a scene straight out of one of McCarthy’s novels! After your initial meeting, things escalated quickly. What led to that pivotal moment when you decided to leave your home for Mexico?
**Augusta:** Well, after a severe beating from my father, I ended up in the hospital, and that’s when Cormac made his move. He urged me to leave my abusive environment and escape with him. It felt like a chance at salvation, albeit one filled with its own chaos.
**Host:** You also mentioned that your relationship began when you were 17 and Cormac was 43. That’s a significant age gap, and it certainly brings up some complex issues. How did you reconcile that in your heart at the time?
**Augusta:** I loved him. To me, he was a source of safety and reassurance. I truly believe that if I hadn’t met him, I wouldn’t be here today. However, I think I struggled with the reality of our relationship later on, and that’s something that’s taken me years to process.
**Host:** It’s fascinating how your experiences may have woven their way into his literature. You suggested that at least ten of his novels were influenced by your time together. Can you elaborate on that?
**Augusta:** Sure! Many of the themes in his novels reflect the turmoil and intensity of our lives. For instance, in *No Country for Old Men*, there’s a character whose wife was married at 16, which is eerily similar to my own story. I can see the shadows of our relationship in his work as he often grapples with moral ambiguity and existential dread.
**Host:** It’s almost like you both played roles in a narrative that transcended personal boundaries. What do you hope readers take away from your story—especially in light of Cormac’s literary legacy?
**Augusta:** I hope readers understand that the line between reality and fiction can be very blurry, especially for writers like him. Cormac’s life was just as dramatic and complex as the characters he created. I think it’s crucial to remember that artists are multifaceted, and while they produce beautiful work, their personal lives can sometimes be tumultuous and messy.
**Host:** Very insightful, Augusta. As we wrap up, what can you say to those wondering how to reconcile McCarthy’s literary genius with the controversy surrounding his personal choices?
**Augusta:** It’s all about nuance. Yes, there were complicated aspects to our relationship and his life. But that complexity is also what makes literature rich and relatable. We can appreciate his genius while also acknowledging the imperfections in his life choices. Just like in one of his stories, life is not just black and white.
**Host:** Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. It’s definitely a poignant reminder of the complexities of love, life, and literature.
**Augusta:** Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure to finally share my side of the story.
**Host:** And to our audience, thank you for tuning in! Join us next time as we continue to unpack the lives of writers behind their written words.
