I purchased this book and audiobook for my own personal collection.
Publisher: Flatiron Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: November 1, 2022
Summary:
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell, Matthew Perry takes readers onto the soundstage of the most successful sitcom of all time while opening up about his private struggles with addiction. Candid, self-aware, and told with his trademark humor, Perry vividly details his lifelong battle with the disease and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that shares the most intimate details of the love Perry lost, his darkest days, and his greatest friends.
Unflinchingly honest, moving, and hilarious: this is the book fans have been waiting for.
My thoughts:
Friends is my favorite TV show. It’s my comfort show and always makes me laugh. Chandler is one of my favorite characters and so I was excited to read this book…but this is definitely not a book just about Friends, nor is it what I would call a happy read.
This is a dark book and in many ways, I give Matthew Perry a lot of credit for writing this. Matthew Perry shares his addiction and he shares it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I vaguely remember hearing he had run into some trouble when the show was still airing and I remember his weight fluctuating from season to season, but I never really gave it much thought. But after reading this, I am amazed that he was able to act as well as he was given what he was doing…and that no one really knew just how bad it really was.
I’m glad that Matthew felt he could share his story with us. Perhaps this was his way of reaching out to others that might be needing that extra push to get help. I don’t tend to read a lot of celebrity memoirs and this is why. Do I still love Chandler? Yes, but I now have a bit of a distorted view of him.
Audio thoughts:
I loved that Matthew Perry himself narrated this. I love when authors narrate their own memoirs as they bring their own authentic voice to their story. I will say the interludes definitely brought me out of the story but other than that, this was a good audiobook, though slightly repetitious at times.
