Date of Birth: June 21, 1912
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Date of Death: October 25, 1989
Biography
Mary McCarthy was an influential American author, critic, and political activist, best known for her sharp wit and keen observations on social issues. Born on June 21, 1912, in Seattle, Washington, she experienced a tumultuous childhood after losing her parents to the flu epidemic of 1918. Raised by various relatives, McCarthy’s early life was marked by instability, which later influenced her writing. McCarthy attended Vassar College, where she graduated with a degree in literature in 1933. She began her career as a critic and writer in New York City, contributing to publications like The New Yorker and Harper’s Magazine. Her first novel, “The Company She Keeps” (1942), garnered attention for its candid and controversial depiction of a young woman’s life in New York. McCarthy’s most famous work, “The Group” (1963), a novel about eight Vassar graduates navigating life in the 1930s, became a bestseller and was later adapted into a film. She was not only a novelist but also an essayist and social commentator, known for her incisive critiques of politics, literature, and culture. She was married four times, most notably to the prominent literary critic Edmund Wilson. McCarthy was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and received numerous awards for her contributions to literature. She passed away on October 25, 1989, in New York City.
5 Interesting Facts about Mary McCarthy
1. Mary McCarthy’s novel “The Group” was on The New York Times Best Seller list for almost two years.
2. McCarthy was a vocal critic of both McCarthyism and the Vietnam War.
3. She was a close friend and occasional adversary of playwright Lillian Hellman.
4. McCarthy taught at several prestigious institutions, including Bard College and the University of Chicago.
5. She received the National Medal for Literature in 1984.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Mary McCarthy
1. “We all live in suspense from day to day; in other words, you are the hero of your own story.”
2. “Bureaucracy, the rule of no one, has become the modern form of despotism.”
3. “Every age has a keyhole to which its eye is pasted.”
4. “In politics, it seems, retreat is honorable if dictated by military considerations and shameful if even suggested for ethical reasons.”
5. “The American as a boy is a creature indulged and spoiled, but as a man, he is expected to be a consumer.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Mary McCarthy’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $1 million at the peak of her career.
Children
Mary McCarthy had one child, a son named Reuel Wilson, from her marriage to Edmund Wilson.
Relevant Links
1. [Mary McCarthy – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McCarthy_(author
4. [Biography on Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-McCarthy-American-writer
