Springer Morality in Cormac McCarthy's Fiction: Souls at Hazard

This book argues that McCarthy’s works convey a profound moral vision, and use intertextuality, moral philosophy, and questions of genre to advance that vision. It focuses upon the ways in which McCarthy’s fiction is in ceaseless conversation with literary and philosophical tradition, examining McCarthy’s investment in influential thinkers from Marcus Aurelius to Hannah Arendt, and poets, playwrights, and novelists from Dante and Shakespeare to Fyodor Dostoevsky and Antonio Machado. The book shows how McCarthy’s fiction grapples with abiding moral and metaphysical issues: the nature and problem of evil; the idea of God or the transcendent; the credibility of heroism in the modern age; the question of moral choice and action; the possibility of faith, hope, love, and goodness; the meaning and limits of civilization; and the definition of what it is to be human. This study will appeal alike to readers, teachers, and scholars of Cormac McCarthy.   Review “Hillier focuses on examining one aspect of McCarthy’s moral vision in each chapter, the result of which is a book that is well organized around this central theme. Hillier includes quotations from McCarthy’s novels in his chapter titles, each of which fittingly summarizes the moral concerns in the narratives. His scholarship, which is rooted in the Western literary and intellectual tradition, in combination with his nuanced textual readings and his unearthing of frequently overlooked textual clues makes his argument insightful and compelling.” (Aihua Chen, Soundings, Vol. 101 (04), 2018) “This book reads easily, as it should, and is therefore recommended not only to graduate students and scholars but to advanced undergraduates. … The overall structure of each chapter, and how the chapters produce the larger argument, generally present yet another admirable quality of this book.” (Jay Ellis, The Cormac McCarthy Journal, Vol. 16 (2), 2018) Review “In Morality in Cormac McCarthy’s Fiction, Russell Hillier applies his considerable knowledge of the Western literary tradition to expand in an extraordinary way our understanding of Cormac McCarthy’s rich ethical vision. The book is elegant, insightful, and manifestly original. While rooted in the scholarship, Hillier brings literary and philosophical contexts to bear that have largely been untouched by others. This is a work that will emerge as central to McCarthy studies for years to come.” (Steven Frye, President of the Cormac McCarthy Society, USA) “In the now fervid world of Cormackian criticism, Russell M. Hillier's style and voice stand out for their deftness and elegance. His probing and insightful intertextuality brings to bear the influence of Job, Ovid and Dostoevsky, among many others. His vindication of John Grady Cole as stoic and tragic hero is as uplifting as it is needed, and his critical consideration of The Counselor will become a primary resource.”  (Allen Josephs, University of West Florida, USA) “This fine study of our greatest living poet in prose argues for McCarthy’s “impassioned and consistent moral vision,” and that McCarthy “remains as intrigued by the mystery of goodness as he is by the mystery of evil.” As applied to McCarthy’s Southwest novels, including Blood Meridian, the Border Trilogy, No Country for Old Men, and with a chapter on McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Road, Hillier’s approach to what he calls “McCarthy’s examination of goodness striving to prevail in a dark world and wide” is presented with a rare combination of intellectual clarity and force. This is a book that is bound to be enjoyed and to stimulate lively discussion amongst McCarthy enthusiasts both professional and private.” (Peter Josyph, author of “Adventures in Reading Cormac McCarthy”, and “Cormac McCarthy's House: Reading McCarthy Without Walls”) “It is entirely appropriate that Renaissance man (and scholar) Russell Hillier here turns his attention to what he calls Cormac