From the Publisher
"Where lesser writers might reach for hyperbole and Roget to describe such exotic lands as Patagonia, Kilimanjaro and Baltimore, in The Longest Way Home, McCarthy leans on subtlety, a straightforward style and hard-won insights to allow his larger stories to unfold. It's not hard to imagine him as the solitary figure in the café, scribbling in a notebook by candlelight, making the lonely, tedious work of travel writing look romantic and easy."—Chuck Thompson, author of Better Off Without 'Em and Smile When You're Lying
MAY 2021 - AudioFile
Actor/writer/director Andrew McCarthy’s immensely enjoyable audiobook, which he narrates himself, is about his early years in Hollywood—especially his love of acting and his development as an artist. Sure, some juicy celebrity tidbits are included—listeners will find out who his ST. ELMO’s FIRE crush was and what really happened the night a reporter coined the “Brat Pack” moniker. But he also describes being more interested in working with challenging directors, developing his characters with a trusted acting coach, and learning how to operate a camera. As he explains his feelings of isolation and failure before he found acting, listeners feel the residue of these emotions in his performance. Now an accomplished travel writer and director, McCarthy delivers a delightful listen about his iconic years. J.T. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2021-03-03
In his second memoir, the former Brat Pack member offers a tell-almost-all filled with entertaining tidbits from on and off the set—and a few surprises.
Now a travel writer, TV director, and author of the bestselling YA novel Just Fly Away, McCarthy found his true life’s calling during a high school production of Oliver! “When I stepped on stage as the Artful Dodger all those years ago,” writes the author, “a light went on inside me that has never gone out.” In New York City, McCarthy found his comfort zone in Terry Hayden’s classes on Method acting and in Manhattan’s cinema revival houses. An audition advertised in Backstage led to his auspicious 1983 debut opposite Rob Lowe and Jacqueline Bisset in Class (off-set factoid: Bissett kissed him….“Just the once”). A whirlwind of work followed, including Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, Mannequin (the descriptions of which omit any mention of co-star Kim Cattrall), Fresh Horses, Less Than Zero, and Weekend at Bernie’s and its sequel. McCarthy highlights the Hollywood perks—dinners at Spago with Liza Minnelli, parties at the Playboy mansion—as well as the uneven chemistry among the Brat Pack. On the set of St. Elmo’s Fire, writes the author, Ally Sheedy was superfriendly; Emilio Estévez was not. Robert Redford, James Coburn, and Claude Chabrol make brief but key appearances, and McCarthy fondly describes channeling his buddy Eddie for movie-wardrobe choices. The author also addresses his personal struggles. From the start, public attention made him nervous, and his relationship with his father was fraught with challenges. Regarding booze, the author tracks his alcoholic trajectory fairly meticulously (he got sober in 1992 at age 29). It’s not Just Kids, but the book is a pleasant combination of name-dropping, fun insights, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the actor’s relief at jumping off his particular 1980s hamster wheel.
An enjoyable celebrity memoir from an actor who also displays writing skills.
