Quicklets: Learn More. Read Less. The Road was written by Cormac McCarthy, a prolific writer with several acclaimed novels to his credit. McCarthy was born in Rhode Island on July 20, 1933. His given name was Charles McCarthy, his fathers name, but he changed it to Cormac, meaning son of Charles, so as not to be confused with his father. He attended University of Tennessee but left after one year to serve in the military. He returned to college but...