You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'
Přátelé, lásky a ten ohromný průšvih by Matthew Perry
191 reviews
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I grew up watching Friends so when I saw this book being published I knew I had to read it.
It definitely gives you a deep understanding into the mind of an addict, and it can be hard to read at times which is a given for difficult topics.
In true Chandler Bing style, it wasn't all dark. There was a lot of humour throughout the entire book and I think it was balanced really well.
Towards the end the book starts repeating itself a lot (which can happen when the book is going between past and present every few chapters) but there was such repetition in the last couple chapters I thought I had accidentally re-read the same pages.
Overall I did enjoy the read
It definitely gives you a deep understanding into the mind of an addict, and it can be hard to read at times which is a given for difficult topics.
In true Chandler Bing style, it wasn't all dark. There was a lot of humour throughout the entire book and I think it was balanced really well.
Towards the end the book starts repeating itself a lot (which can happen when the book is going between past and present every few chapters) but there was such repetition in the last couple chapters I thought I had accidentally re-read the same pages.
Overall I did enjoy the read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Alcohol
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Title: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Author: Matthew Perry
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: November 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Honest • Messy • Enlightening
📖 S Y N O P S I S
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
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 traveled 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...
💭 T H O U G H T S
Matthew Perry's Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing was one of the biggest memoirs released in 2022. I have watched Friends casually over the years, yet never considered myself a huge fan. Why then was I interested in listening to his story? Because I have personally witnessed the chaos, destruction and heartbreak addiction causes.
I enjoyed getting to learn about Matthew's childhood and his family, whereas I was less interested in his time in Hollywood and his life of privilege. Even though this memoir touches on other aspects of his life, much of it is centered around his addiction. At times incredibly difficult to read, Matthew
details with great clarity what it is like to live with addiction. His brutally candid accounts of his struggles were authentic and ugly. He doesn't sugar coat what withdrawals are really like.
There have been criticisms about the chaotic nature of the writing, but I would say it mirrors the ongoing recovery process. Matthew wrote this shortly after becoming sober, and anyone who knows someone living with addiction knows that addiction changes people. Oftentimes it takes a long time for them to return to themselves. This isn't making excuse for incredibly hurtful behaviour, it is simply the reality of the disease. Matthew really showcases addiction as a disease and how no one is immune. Written for those who can relate, it is his hope that his sharing his story will help others.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is not Chandler Bing's memoir, so if you cannot separate Chandler from Matthew, this isn't for you. This isn't about Friends, this is about real life. It is evident he is a deeply flawed human being, a man with a lot of hurt, yet an ounce of hope. If you or someone you love has dealt with addiction, you'll truly understand how difficult it must have been to write his story, and share it with the world. I admired his vulnerability. It is my hope, his book will inspire readers to have a better understanding of addiction, and have more empathy for people living with it. My favourite memoir of 2022.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• people with addiction
• loved ones of people with addiction
• celebrity memoir lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I don't write all this so anyone will feel sorry for me - I write these words because they are true. I write them because someone else may be confused by the fact that they know they should stop drinking - like me, they have all the information, and they understand the consequences - but they still can't stop drinking. You are not alone, my brothers and sisters."
"Drinkers think they are trying to escape, but really they are trying to overcome a mental disorder they didn’t know they had."
"Addiction have ruined so much of my life it's not funny."
"Addicts are not bad people. We're just people who are trying to feel better, but we have this disease."
Author: Matthew Perry
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: November 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Honest • Messy • Enlightening
📖 S Y N O P S I S
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
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 traveled 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...
💭 T H O U G H T S
Matthew Perry's Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing was one of the biggest memoirs released in 2022. I have watched Friends casually over the years, yet never considered myself a huge fan. Why then was I interested in listening to his story? Because I have personally witnessed the chaos, destruction and heartbreak addiction causes.
I enjoyed getting to learn about Matthew's childhood and his family, whereas I was less interested in his time in Hollywood and his life of privilege. Even though this memoir touches on other aspects of his life, much of it is centered around his addiction. At times incredibly difficult to read, Matthew
details with great clarity what it is like to live with addiction. His brutally candid accounts of his struggles were authentic and ugly. He doesn't sugar coat what withdrawals are really like.
There have been criticisms about the chaotic nature of the writing, but I would say it mirrors the ongoing recovery process. Matthew wrote this shortly after becoming sober, and anyone who knows someone living with addiction knows that addiction changes people. Oftentimes it takes a long time for them to return to themselves. This isn't making excuse for incredibly hurtful behaviour, it is simply the reality of the disease. Matthew really showcases addiction as a disease and how no one is immune. Written for those who can relate, it is his hope that his sharing his story will help others.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is not Chandler Bing's memoir, so if you cannot separate Chandler from Matthew, this isn't for you. This isn't about Friends, this is about real life. It is evident he is a deeply flawed human being, a man with a lot of hurt, yet an ounce of hope. If you or someone you love has dealt with addiction, you'll truly understand how difficult it must have been to write his story, and share it with the world. I admired his vulnerability. It is my hope, his book will inspire readers to have a better understanding of addiction, and have more empathy for people living with it. My favourite memoir of 2022.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• people with addiction
• loved ones of people with addiction
• celebrity memoir lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I don't write all this so anyone will feel sorry for me - I write these words because they are true. I write them because someone else may be confused by the fact that they know they should stop drinking - like me, they have all the information, and they understand the consequences - but they still can't stop drinking. You are not alone, my brothers and sisters."
"Drinkers think they are trying to escape, but really they are trying to overcome a mental disorder they didn’t know they had."
"Addiction have ruined so much of my life it's not funny."
"Addicts are not bad people. We're just people who are trying to feel better, but we have this disease."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Car accident, Pandemic/Epidemic
childhood trauma
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
sad
fast-paced
The content is good, interesting. The organization of the book is terrible. They should have spent a lot more time editing. Worth the read though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Listen, there's a lot to criticize this book for. The writing style, the time jumps, the sometimes tasteless comments about people and events.
But isn't that last one what celebrity tell-alls are??
I didn't love his praise for Woody allen and Chevy chase, though he never brings up the allegations or anything, because I never want to see either of those men praised.
And yes, he's arrogant. Did you have him confused with another Matthew Perry?
None of this takes away from the brutal honesty of his story. He begins the book by talking about how his colon exploded and he spent nine months shitting himself. He talks about how addiction and insecurity kept him from having a meaningful long term relationship, marriage, kids. He talks about how good people were to him when he was behaving like an asshole. He names his exes, which might be tasteless, but still talks about them with respect.
If you know an addict, and I know many, you should be able to appreciate the honesty in this story, even when it's a little too honest. Am I convinced Perry has figured out the formula to staying sober? No. No one has, even if in the last chapter he appears to claim he has. But I still felt like everything he said was, to the best of his ability, honest.
This book did not change my opinion of Perry either for the worse or the better. But it did give me insight into his life and mind, especially as it was in a time in his life where we all saw him every week and sometimes wondered if he was okay
But isn't that last one what celebrity tell-alls are??
I didn't love his praise for Woody allen and Chevy chase, though he never brings up the allegations or anything, because I never want to see either of those men praised.
And yes, he's arrogant. Did you have him confused with another Matthew Perry?
None of this takes away from the brutal honesty of his story. He begins the book by talking about how his colon exploded and he spent nine months shitting himself. He talks about how addiction and insecurity kept him from having a meaningful long term relationship, marriage, kids. He talks about how good people were to him when he was behaving like an asshole. He names his exes, which might be tasteless, but still talks about them with respect.
If you know an addict, and I know many, you should be able to appreciate the honesty in this story, even when it's a little too honest. Am I convinced Perry has figured out the formula to staying sober? No. No one has, even if in the last chapter he appears to claim he has. But I still felt like everything he said was, to the best of his ability, honest.
This book did not change my opinion of Perry either for the worse or the better. But it did give me insight into his life and mind, especially as it was in a time in his life where we all saw him every week and sometimes wondered if he was okay
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I feel like I need to preface this with the fact that I have read quite a few biographies lately and I think I’m at the point where I’m not enjoying them or I find the people really annoying.
With this one, I found it really fascinating to get an insight into what Matthew’s rollercoaster of a life was like - especially during filming F.R.I.E.N.D.S as that’s the thing I know him from. He also mentioned the play, The End of Longing, that he wrote/starred in that got slated. I actually went to see the play and enjoyed it, but I also forgot that he was even in it!
However, I did find the narrative to be quite scatted and didn’t really follow any set chronology. I also thought he came across as quite arrogant which I didn’t expect. He talks about the various women that he has dated but the way he spoke about them didn’t portray him in a positive way.
Overall, it was an interesting read and I hope he’s recovering well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit
dark
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol