Revered American novelist, dies at 89

NEW YORK

Celebrated author Cormac McCarthy, an unflinching chronicler of America's bleak frontiers and grim underbelly, died on June 13 aged 89, his publisher said.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who wrote "The Road" and "No Country for Old Men" - both of which became feature films - passed away at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Over his nearly six-decade long career, McCarthy won major literary awards and gained international acclaim for a dozen sparsely written, soul-wrenching novels.

Considered a demanding but honest writer, his clinical descriptions of inner torment and the backwoods of America won him a fiercely loyal following.

His book, "Blood Meridian," was published in 1985 and marked a turning point in his career. The 1990s brought the publication of The Border Trilogy - "All the Pretty Horses," "The Crossing," and "Cities of the Plain" - all set in the American West.

"All the Pretty Horses" became a surprise hit, garnering a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Hollywood took notice, and the film version was released in 2000, starring Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz.

In 2008, an adaptation of his novel "No Country for Old Men" by directors Joel and Ethan Coen won four Oscars, including one for Spanish actor Javier Bardem.

A year earlier, McCarthy was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for "The Road," the story of a father and son making their way across a post-apocalyptic landscape.