Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Even though McCarthy doesn't name drop Mr. William Butler Yeats in his book, he borrowed the title of his book from a Yeats poem called "Sailing to Byzantium." The poem refers to "dying generations," "an aged man is but a paltry thing," and "what is past, passing, or to come." All of these phrases are ones we could use when talking about the book. (Source.)
Cormac McCarthy wrote most of his novels—maybe even No Country for Old Men—on a typewriter. Yes, there are typewriter apps now, but McCarthy used the real deal, an Olivetti Lettera 32. Sounds like a Harry Potter spell, right? McCarthy sold his beloved typewriter at an auction in 2009. (Source.)
The reclusive McCarthy attended the Academy Awards in a rare public appearance. According to one journalist, he even enjoyed the ceremony. Did he get a selfie with Javier Bardem? (Source.)