A review by coffee_and_chapters
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

dark emotional funny informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

 

There is a level of courage that Matthew Perry had in sharing his story with us that must never be forgotten. His life-long struggle with addiction was so heartbreaking to hear but also eye opening to understand. All the events that took place in his life led to him being who he was and the experiences he had made him who he was. The beloved Friends star who played Chandler Bing, who hid behind humour to hide his sadness and pain, is exactly how Matthew Perry narrated this book, in an honest and open way, with hints of Chandler-style humour to mask the true pain behind the words, but as a reader, I felt every one of them. I listened to his memoir as an audiobook because hearing this in his voice resonated with me more than reading words on a page. When I heard the news that Matthew Perry passed away, I was devastated, because throughout the years I always found myself returning to Friends, to a show that brought me (and still brings me) so much comfort. I always found myself returning to the characters I grew up loving, and I think on the day in question, the world lost a beautiful soul. 

I must admit, I never followed the media and news stories about Matthew Perry and his health and struggle with addiction, and I was glad I did not, because I had the opportunity to hear this from his own words instead, and I never had a pre-conception or something to compare them with. I was shocked by many parts of his life including being given phenobarbital as a baby, the battle with drinking that had started at a young age, and his near-death experience leading him to undergo a major operation. What was truly heartbreaking was remembering, as I was listening, that he is no longer among us. 

Matthew Perry was a beautiful soul, who even as he fought with his own internal struggles and addictions, dedicated his time to helping others deal with their addiction and get sober, which he talked about in his book too, and his legacy and work will live on in our hearts. 

Thank you, Matthew Perry, for sharing your story with us