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Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing
- Narrated by: Matthew Perry
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
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Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing
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Summary
'Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times
'HI, MY NAME IS MATTHEW, although you may know me by my full name. My friends call me Matty.'
So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us . . . and so much more.
In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he's found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all.
'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian
'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph
'A hopeful read . . . I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent
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What listeners say about Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ConorJoeRyan
- 25-11-22
Worth your time
A good and well written story, if a little tone deaf and self reverenchal at times. I leave it with a deep hope that Matty can find lasting happiness in his life.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sarah Caswell
- 31-10-23
A Tragedy, Told without the Laughs
Reading this in the days after he died, almost a year since this book was released. A story of the unrelenting, itch just to try to feel better. Matthew describes an unlikeable, unfaithful, selfish unutterable fuck-up who made so many fans of Friends feel better....I really hope people can look beyond the scathing comments left here around November 2022 by people who seem to have been looking for Chandler's 'happy ending' in this book. I hope people can see the unglamorous ravages of addiction. I hope they never feel as bad as Matthew Perry tells us he felt...all the time
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- s
- 03-11-22
Just Absolutely Brilliant in every way .
Wow best book I have ever listened to. So so brave and brutally honest and completely vulnerable , enjoyed every second of this book and have nothing but love and admiration for this man and wish him such peace happiness and love - he so deserves it .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Declan
- 06-11-22
Powerful
Funny, tragic, riveting, with a outline of hope. Very insightful read on the struggles of addiction.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jules
- 08-11-22
Exactly perfect
I loved every minute, hearing the experiences in his voice made me so invested from the beginning. It's all I've been listening to for days from the comfort of my living room under a cozy blanket. I so appreciated how much Matthew was willing to share, I only wish I could have helped him. I'm sure we all feel that way after this book. We love him, he must be protected at all costs! Thank you for giving us this intimate and powerful insight into addiction, we're grateful to you and all that you've given to us over the years.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt Langford
- 13-11-22
Great book, funny at times, entertaining but quite sad too.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Friends so I was looking forward to this book. Matthew Perry does a great job of detailing his life, his time starting in Friends and his constant battle with addiction. It’s extremely sad, funny and quite shocking at times, but still a great listen.
I highly recommend this book to any fan of Friends and I imagine anyone who has struggled with addiction or mental health would find it very interesting too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-11-22
Powerful and moving
A powerful and moving account of Matthew Perry’s life. This audiobook is filled with stories of love, loss, loyalty and laugh out loud humour.
Thank you Matthew Perry for opening up about your addiction and sharing your story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sami Kashif
- 22-11-22
Thank you
This guy has all the defining features of a hero. Still sober. Just for today
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JANET PRADO
- 04-12-22
BRAVE MAN TO LET IT ALL BE TOLD!;
I laughed and I cried. I was also quite angry at his ambivalence about money. The ordinary man on the street couldn't have had all the luxury help Matthew has had or ALL the drugs etc!! I feel for him but there is something that just niggles me. It is certainly not an uplifting listen (I didn't think). I still enjoyed listening to his story though.
He doesn't know how lucky he is!!!!
(Or does he?)
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- G R SMITH
- 06-12-22
an amazing insight into the mind of Matthew Perry
An incredible autobiography. When you think someone has it all, you just don't know what's going on inside their heads.
A very brave and honest bio. If you grew up watching Friends, you will get added nostalgia when Matt talks about certain episodes.
This book isn't just for Friends fans, it has a bit of everything, especially for people who are currently fighting their own demons.
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