Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

Reading this in light of Matthew's death was absolutely heartbreaking. Him and Friends was a large part of my media growing up and I am so thankful to be able to have gotten this insight into his life, struggles, and ultimate path to a life that he was happy and fulfilled with. A life that was much much too short. I really enjoyed hearing him narrate this himself - his voice and personality really shine amongst the humor and heart of this memoir.

Content Warnings

emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Content Warnings

beklovesbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad

2.5

The whole thing is just so sad knowing in the end his addiction won out. It’s also difficult to hear how much he used women. Ultimately, his story makes sense- he had a real set up in life to be a drug addict . He references the Big book and 12-step a lot. There’s a little about his friends co-stars and tons of other name-dropping. Heartbreaking, but Just ok.

Content Warnings

teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

This memoir is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. I think Matthew did an amazing job of showing the reality of addiction and what it is like in different forms. He did not shy away or sugar coat the ugly, difficult parts of it. For that, I think he deserves all the credit. Though is seemed a bit haphazard at times, I think it was an important part of it. Knowing he is now gone, makes it even more heartbreaking because you can tell he was really trying to do better. But addiction is a hard thing. He said it himself, addicts are not bad people.

PS. I did not watch Friends

Content Warnings

hellokaley's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad medium-paced

4.0

I added this book to my library holds following Matthew Perry’s death. It’s a difficult read, but so much more difficult knowing he is gone just a year after his memoir was published.

The story goes through his acting career and his brutal journey with addition that has caused a litany of health issues along the way. He brings the reader along on the lows of detox, short stints in sobriety, and the incomprehensible (if you’re not an addict) relapses. I truly cannot imagine how he functioned during some of the darkest times. I liked his stories about Friends and the close relationships of the cast. It is clear that people really loved him.

There are lots of negative reviews about editing and story structure but I didn’t think it was so bad. I really didn’t mind the interludes where we hopped timelines. There was a little bit of repetition and at one point towards the end, I looked at my audiobook player to see if I had accidentally skipped back a few chapters because I had already heard this part of the story. I could have done without the “chapter summary” feel sometimes, but in general, I liked the pace and the narration.

Overall, it is a really sad story with periods of triumph, success, and some happiness scattered throughout. It paints the ugly and cruel world of addiction, something too many people are experiencing and impacted by. I’m glad that he got to tell his story in his own words and happy I read it.

Content Warnings

allieskat17's review

Go to review page

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

An honest and heartbreaking story of the addiction that ran Matthew Perry’s life. This book chronicles his struggles with trauma, mental illness, and addiction in many different forms. Towards the end he even says he knows that it will kill him which is sadder to read since his death

Content Warnings

vanesst's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging funny inspiring slow-paced

3.5

Content Warnings

More...