Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
The BELOVED STAR OF FRIENDS takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this “CANDID, DARKLY FUNNY...POIGNANT” memoir (The New York Times)
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK by Time, Associated Press, Goodreads, USA Today, and more!
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another 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 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. . . 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 humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing* is a raw, heartfelt memoir revealing Matthew Perry’s struggle with addiction, made even more...
The audiobook read by Matty is 100% the way to go. This would’ve been hard to read on its own/with your own interpretations without hearing it from him specially. Plus, it adds a sense of familiarity and personality to a very real and very candid recounted life that we, now, know is gone. ❤️🩹
I write this a few days after one of those convicted in his death receives her sentence. And I am grateful for a delivery of justice when a cherished life is exploited.
Matthew Perry’s life and book do not need a rating from me or anyone else, as it’s no one’s place to judge one’s course. I give 3.5 stars for the book itself: construction, reflection, and notability.
The timeline hops from past to forward was hard to follow at times, and the language would’ve been harder to read as opposed to listening, hence my recommendation for the narration. It would feel like speaking to a friend over one’s life as opposed to a page full of nuances lost to reader interpretation or vocal cadences you wouldn’t appreciate otherwise.
It’s tragic and bittersweet to follow his story, one wrought with self-doubt and longing for something you feel unworthy of having. The delivery was very “him”, and the self-depreciation was timely woven throughout. He didn’t shy from realities nor fantasies of his life in Hollywood or relationships he found along the way, and I learned as a fan of Friends and Chandle Bing just how much of a battle he was fighting when the majority of the world had no idea. At least behind closed doors.
I pray to his peace that he experienced once mentioned in the book, and that he can look at the legacy he’s left in so many areas, and be proud!
I write this a few days after one of those convicted in his death receives her sentence. And I am grateful for a delivery of justice when a cherished life is exploited.
Matthew Perry’s life and book do not need a rating from me or anyone else, as it’s no one’s place to judge one’s course. I give 3.5 stars for the book itself: construction, reflection, and notability.
The timeline hops from past to forward was hard to follow at times, and the language would’ve been harder to read as opposed to listening, hence my recommendation for the narration. It would feel like speaking to a friend over one’s life as opposed to a page full of nuances lost to reader interpretation or vocal cadences you wouldn’t appreciate otherwise.
It’s tragic and bittersweet to follow his story, one wrought with self-doubt and longing for something you feel unworthy of having. The delivery was very “him”, and the self-depreciation was timely woven throughout. He didn’t shy from realities nor fantasies of his life in Hollywood or relationships he found along the way, and I learned as a fan of Friends and Chandle Bing just how much of a battle he was fighting when the majority of the world had no idea. At least behind closed doors.
I pray to his peace that he experienced once mentioned in the book, and that he can look at the legacy he’s left in so many areas, and be proud!
I knew this was focused a lot around his struggles with alcoholism and addiction but knowing he didn't make it to a year after this was published just hits different. It's a sad story to begin with but to hear all of what he went through is just so crazy. He had so many near death experiences I'm sure he's looking down saying "it's amazing I lasted this long." What was crazier is he basically called his own death. He mentions he could ‘have a heart attack with no one around to find him’ and that's exactly what happened. I can't imagine all the battles and demons he had to fight while being such a national face. Even after his death, Matthew Perry IS Chandler. I loved hearing his FRIENDS pieces, but to know he was battling so much while being one of my favorite characters is pretty mind-boggling. Overall, I enjoyed this but I also found it so sad! I think I would've thought that even if he was still alive but knowing he’ll never be able to achieve the things he was setting himself up for in his second part of life was so hard to hear.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.