Editor's Introduction

Abstract

At the time of this writing, the Cormac McCarthy Society is making plans for “Cormac McCarthy and Mexico,” a conference co-sponsored by Monterrey Technological University and the International American Studies Association, to be held October 17–20, 2018, in Monterrey, Mexico. This is the Society's first international conference in Mexico, and the region will be the focus of many of the presentations; featured speakers will be Peter Josyph and Allen Josephs. More information about the conference can be found at cormacmccarthy.com.In this issue, the keynote speaker from our Fall 2017 Austin conference, Don Graham, offers a note on connections between McCarthy and Robinson Jeffers. In addition, the scholarly duo of Jonathan and Rick Elmore returns with a consideration of the didactic ethics of The Road, and Jamie Brummer directs fresh attention to notions of American masculinity as presented in The Crossing, thus reviving conversation about a subject (and a novel) that haven't inspired quite that much critical inquiry of late. James Stephen O'Sullivan uses Walter Benjamin's ideas about allegory and baroque tragedy to discuss McCarthy's Southwestern novels, seeing in them a “mourning drama,” the stage of which is set with the various ruins and dilapidated structures of that region.Finally, Russell Hillier is serendipitously spotlighted in this issue, with both his reading of The Sunset Limited in light of Schopenhauer and Jay Ellis's review of his recent book, Morality in Cormac McCarthy's Fiction: Souls at Hazard. Serendipitous indeed, as Ellis notes that “I confess I wanted a full chapter on [The Sunset Limited] in this book.” Et voilà, as they say!Enjoy, and keep in touch.