remember who they themselves were at the time. McCarthy therefore recognizes that public nostalgia belongs partly to the audience rather than to him. That distinction helps explain why he can respect the affection surrounding Pretty in Pink without personally wanting to live in the past.
His recovery from alcohol dependence remains one of the most consequential developments of his adult life. McCarthy’s public discussion of addiction is valuable precisely because he does not describe it as glamorous. Alcohol initially seemed to reduce fear and increase confidence, but eventually the cost
