When Matthew Perry died in October, 2023, his fans were sad to learn it was caused by a long-time illness – drug addiction. Perry had been vocal about his struggles with alcoholism and addiction for several years before his death, giving several interviews about his journey and setting up a sober living house to help others battling the illness. His 2022 memoir shocked readers and fans worldwide with his honest approach to telling his story, including details about his drug use, his attempts to stay sober, and the famous names who tried to help. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is a cautionary tale about the lure and danger of illicit drug use, the power of a support network, and the ease of slipping back into old habits even if you don’t want to.
I give Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing 5 out of 5 stars. I started reading this book shortly after the recent arrests in Perry’s death and found the inclusion of some unnamed drug sources in the memoir breathtaking. I also found out so much about Perry’s life off camera through this book – his parents, his life-threatening complications from drug use, and his work to help others all stood out to me. The only reason this memoir did not get a perfect 5.0 from me was because of how Perry jumped around in telling his story – it was tough to follow sometimes. With that said, this memoir feels like an atonement and making of amends like an addict may do while working a 12-Step program like AA. He mentions his regret over several decisions and how they may have harmed those he really cared about, and how he wanted to be better in the future.
If you, like me, grew up watching Friends or The Whole Nine Yards, you will find this book fascinating. Given the themes of drug use and alcoholism, this book may not be the best choice for all readers and should definitely be directed to audiences over 16. I do think this memoir would be a great read for the friends and family of those struggling with addiction – it gives great insight into the mindset of the user.
I chose Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “Celebrity Memoir”. I’ve been wanting to read this one since it’s release and I’m glad I finally got the chance. I chose the audiobook version of this which was honestly a bit strange at first – it is read by Perry and it was odd to hear him sound so healthy and uninfluenced while discussing his addiction and health issues. I keep thinking about how audiobooks, especially memoirs, offer an amazing opportunity for future generations to hear these stories from the authors themselves long after they are gone.
As we approach the first anniversary of his overdose death, I have been thinking about his honesty about his struggles with drug use and his desire to be drug free. If you are in need of assistance or would like more information about programs available to you, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Hotline at 1.800.662.HELP.
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: The After Party, Anton DiSclafani
- Current audio book: A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Virgin River, Robyn Carr
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