Reviews - Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

12.9k reviews for:

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

Matthew Perry

3.81 AVERAGE

sarahmjenkins's review against another edition

5.0

reflective sad medium-paced

paintthebandit's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

It’s weird reviewing an autobiography, especially by a non-writer. After reading the reviews of this, I had to double-check to make sure it wasn’t rewritten because I truly don’t understand the criticisms.

Some of the main critics I’ve seen revolve around Matthew’s constant finger pointing and whiny attitude. I can be certain most of those criticisms were from those who didn’t finish the book. Matthew Perry does an excellent job of walking us through his thought process as the events happened, explaining what traumas led him to begin his dependency and how he healed after. He begins blaming others, sure, but he is chronologically telling the story of how he came to acknowledge his privilege, both that led to his spiraling and saved his life through exclusive medical care, etc., and eventually learning to take accountability for his actions.

The timeline does become repetitive as he briefly refers to future events and later expands on them when they occur in the timeline. This can be confusing if one isn’t following too intently, but generally does make sense within its context.

I listened to the audiobook, which, for any autobiography from a non-writer, is my preferred method. Where the writer might lack the nuances in writing tone and emotion, their voice and inflections carry. In this book, Matthew conveys an astounding amount of heartbreaking emotion and levity that I don’t feel would have been nearly as effective if I had read it.

This book truly is his greatest performance. May he rest easy.