In Reading the World, Dianne C. Luce explores the historical and philosophical contexts of Cormac McCarthy's early works, crafted during his Tennessee period from 1959 to 1979, to demonstrate how the writer integrates literary realism with the imagery and myths of Platonic, gnostic, and existentialist philosophies to create his unique vision of the world. "Luce goes well beyond examining the role of place in McCarthy's literary imagination and writing by emphasizing his extensive reading, especially in philosophy. . . . This study reminds one of the powerful criticism that advanced William Faulkner in the 1960s-70s. Highly recommended."-Choice