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Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing

Matthew Perry

$24.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English
Headline
25 June 2024
'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir ... and it may just save lives' Daily Mail

'Funny, fascinating, compelling ... also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times

The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence.

This is

the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, who takes 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 travelled 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 humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled 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.

'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian

'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph

'A hopeful read ... I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent

By:  
Imprint:   Headline
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 198mm,  Width: 129mm, 
ISBN:   9781472295972
ISBN 10:   1472295978
Pages:   272
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Matthew Perry was a Canadian American actor, executive producer, and comedian.

Reviews for Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing

"Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing is a raw, unflinching memoir that took courage to write. As it turns out, Matthew Perry has a lot of courage. He takes us through his addiction, his illness and his paralyzing loneliness. Somehow, during the course of his life, Matthew was able to turn his pain into comedic joy for others, but, he tells us, it was at a cost. Matthew takes us through his ""hell"" but doesn't wallow. Ultimately, this book is filled with hope for the future. If you want to know about who Matthew Perry is, stay away from the rags and read this. * Marta Kauffman, co-creator of the NBC sitcom Friends * There's never been a more honest or raw memoir . . . and it may just save lives -- Daily Mail Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends * The Times * Harrowing and revealing about the juncture where extreme compound addiction collides with mega-celebrity * Observer * An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans * Guardian * Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation * Telegraph * A hopeful read . . . I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz * Independent *"


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