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.
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Readers say *Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing* offers a raw, honest, and sometimes tough-to-read memoir that deeply explores Matthew Perry’...
I loved "Friends" and I loved Chandler, which means I also loved Matthew Perry. At some point, I too, with the rest of society heard about Matthew’s struggle with addiction. It made me sad then and I didn’t know any truth about it. In his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," he holds nothing back. It was heartbreaking for me to read, and the depth of heartbreak tripled because he died on Oct. 28, 2023, with ketamine in his system. Part of me wishes I had read it before he died.
If you loved, or just liked "Friends," I think you need to read Matthew Perry’s "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." It is like a final letter to his family, friends and fans. The last few pages definitely felt that way to me.
If you have no attachment to "Friends," but you know anyone who is ill with substance abuse disorder, read this book.
Spoiler Alert: You will cry.
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