List Price: $39.99

Save: $10.76 (27%)

FREE delivery Tuesday, June 13 on your first order. Details

Or fastest delivery Tomorrow, June 10. Order within 8 hrs 59 mins. Details

In Stock

[{"displayPrice":"$29.23","priceAmount":29.23,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"29","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"23","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"anWlWnUqz5CjGfET7MyMFKlVGkbWabw2BX9Cibn%2Bjw8VI%2BZ0RGHKry6z4qL3YrluppyYpYFPg7pDG8LNuOIjpDHoOrx%2Bzga7Ltqgkx03veEZ6AtaplGDn5HIX1REXyC6MwEiv6WYhBc%3D","locale":"en-CA","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$21.50","priceAmount":21.50,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"21","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"50","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"anWlWnUqz5CjGfET7MyMFKlVGkbWabw2qSiQLgZjSRHDMQNuzysHPCPWTlzvRd0o9HkAYr9tn2qjJnZwvXOmyoFWwRh%2BeSGqn9SXQIJIpd7jnP7n0v5ssvGvYcZh2KrM1AA2N6vovabXJsCBMSGm0rnqSC%2BbZdQ4AtJ40VLzdw%2BoI3gsAM61B2to5%2Fm%2BSE0q","locale":"en-CA","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$29.23 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add gift options

FREE delivery Tuesday, June 13 on your first order. Details

Or fastest delivery Sunday, June 11. Order within 11 hrs 44 mins. Details

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Serafini Books

Fulfilled by Amazon

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See this image

Follow the Author

Matthew Perry

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir Hardcover – Deckle Edge, Nov. 1 2022

by Matthew Perry (Author)

4.4 19,262 ratings

#18 this week

See all formats and editions

Amazon Price

New from

Used from

Kindle Edition

"Please retry"

$16.99

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Hardcover, Deckle Edge

"Please retry"

$29.23

$25.56

$21.50

Paperback

"Please retry"

$24.99

—

Audio CD, CD, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$52.89

$34.82

$35.06

Great on Kindle

Great Experience. Great Value.

Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.

View Kindle Edition

Purchase options and add-ons

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. And I should be dead.”

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.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Flatiron Books
Publication date

Nov. 1 2022
Dimensions

16.64 x 2.41 x 24.26 cm
ISBN-10

1250866448
ISBN-13

978-1250866448
See all details

Bought Together

Frequently bought together

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir

$29.23

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

+

$28.20

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

+

Love, Pamela: A Memoir of Prose, Poetry, and Truth

$25.00

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Choose items to buy together.

Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex
69,892
Hardcover
in United States History
16 offers from $26.79
Pamela Anderson
1,940
Hardcover
45 offers from $14.31
Michelle Obama
9,012
Hardcover
49 offers from $24.55
Jennette McCurdy
49,990
Hardcover
51 offers from $11.11
Dave Itzkoff
3,708
Paperback
54 offers from $10.51
Matthew Perry
235
Paperback
10 offers from $22.86

From the Publisher

Friends Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing Matthew Perry

Friends Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing Matthew Perry Marta Kauffman quote

Product description

Review

"Remarkable, startling, and heartfelt...The bravery of Perry’s book is not just in what he says, or how he says it, and how unflinching he is in his commitment to say it, but that he chose to say it at all." ―GQ

“Candid, darkly funny…starkly chronicling his decades-long cage match with drinking and drug use. Perry writes gratefully and glowingly…fans will find poignant nuggets in its pages.” ―The New York Times

“A heartbreakingly beautiful memoir.” ―People

"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

About the Author

Matthew Perry is a Canadian American actor, executive producer, and playwright.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books (Nov. 1 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250866448
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250866448
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 481 g
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.64 x 2.41 x 24.26 cm

Best Sellers Rank: #640 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #20 in Actor Biographies
- #20 in Entertainer
- #49 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 19,262 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Matthew Perry

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

19,262 global ratings

5 star		63%
4 star		21%
3 star		11%
2 star		3%
1 star		3%

How are ratings calculated?

Reviews with images

See all customer images

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

win3181

A remarkable story

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 15, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book is captivating. I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. A very honest book with no details spared. I was emotionally invested from page 1 and was taken on a journey that had me in tears several times. I decided to purchase this book in hopes that I could better understand addiction and it did provide many answers and questions I didn’t even know I had. This book was intimate and I feel like I was a part of the story. Well written and I’m grateful for the openness. A must read!

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Something about people's lives there are no explanation for what they are facing.

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

You think you know someone who has it all, but there are demons in their lives - no matter what they want to do, the demon's calls are like an old pair of shoes or an unfaithful lover to spend the time to cope with.

I hesitate to call the book a memoir because I believe that Matthew Perry has much wisdom to teach us. For example, Perry experienced whether or not he was worthy of love, or able to commit to a woman without being left first. So Perry thought he was not enough to have a meaningful relationship with a person who understood the man. All of us had been there or another at some point in our lives.

Perry's alcohol and drug abuse was not a cry for help; however, looking for happiness and calmness within himself like warm honey. I am not making any excuses for Matthew Perry, but addiction is an unknown place to people who are not educated about this disease. Still, it is a sadistic love affair that you should not be having and you know you will be in trouble. But, unfortunately, the beast wins.

I am thankful that Perry has beaten the odds and striving as an excellent writer and storyteller.

I hope that Matthew Perry finds love because everyone deserves love.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Wendy.

A very intense book

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 10, 2023

Verified Purchase

I truly appreciated the honesty shared in this book, a very challenging journey that shows the determination it takes to become healthy and free from addiction

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Esther Kniznik

Mathew Perry

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book was recommended in my book club. I wasn’t sure as this was not my choice but once I started reading it, it actually was very interesting and informative.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

TheFrog

An interesting read

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on April 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

It was a good read.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ty

Loved it!

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 7, 2023

Verified Purchase

Reading about his trials and triumphs (from his own perspective) was so interesting. Perry is obviously funny, but I was surprised to learn how sensitive he is too. The book was a bit repetitive at points and I would have preferred if the timeline was just linear, but no big deal. While reading, I often found myself rooting for him to overcome his challenges... it seems he's on track to do so!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

So interesting and a good read

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on April 18, 2023

Verified Purchase

Very interesting..as a fan of Matthew and “Friends” ..he refers to time line when doing friends ..it was eye opening on addiction but very good read

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Crystal Brown

Love

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on April 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

Love this book

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

80s Boy

Oh Ms. Chanandler Bong, where to begin…

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

Gosh. When Matthew Perry said that he incorporated bits of himself into the role of Chandler Bing, he was so under exaggerating. Not just the sarcasm, not just the failure at women, not just the smoking (good God, the smoking), but, man, every bit of Bing goes a long way from the mind of Matthew. How he managed to take the stage every episode for 10 years and be completely “ON” will leave you absolutely stunned. And make him even more of a comedic genius than he already was. Because aside from his appearance (in his own words, skinny meant pills, fat meant booze) it would be virtually unnoticeable as his performances were never affected.

This book really leaves you with a “I don’t know what how to feel about this book” feeling at the end of it. For the most part due to the way it just jumps all over the place in terms of time and sheer self-destruction. One minute you’re rooting for MP as he achieves his hopes and dreams of sitcom super (or, “stupor”) stardom. To the next minute wanting to go up to the Hollywood Hills (or whatever house he’s living in this month, he changes houses like people change socks) and slap him in the head and say, “What the hell is the Matthew matter with you!”

That being said, it’s not like any of this went undocumented back in the day. No matter the amount of trouble he found himself in, there’s no way that I couldn’t read this, as I consider Perry in the same upper echelon ranks of physical comedic performer as a John Ritter. And has always reminded me delivery wise of a Michael Keaton (whom he cites as his favorite actor, by the way, so I guess that makes sense). What he brought as a performer, and not just Chandler but everything he does, is an inherent (or inherited?) ability to not just expertly time his lines and incorporate a facial reaction, but his particular physical movements were something to behold. Never forced, never stolen, it was all him with the gesture of an arm or breaking into a pee-inducing dance of hilarity, he was of the Michael J Fox (another guy he mentions in his book) school of comedy: you give the guy one joke, he gets three laughs.

I mean, I go back with this guy as a viewer. From his minor role in A Night in the life of Jimmy Reardon, to when he died on Growing Pains. Which I found a bit of a disappointment, that he never mentioned his time on that show. Especially for somebody who suffers from such a horrendous alcohol addiction, as his character actually drunk drove himself into the hospital and subsequently dies, leading to one of the more disquieting moments in the show’s history when his death is revealed.

Now, addiction is addiction, but the almost braggadocios way he wears it like a badge of honor becomes nearly unbearable. He nearly turns it into a drinking game. Every time he says he took 55 Vicodin, you take a shot. Every time he says he got scared of being close to a woman and ditched her, take a shot. Every time he tells you how beloved Friends is and that he changed the vernacular of the entire country (which I lived through and do not remember), take a shot. You’ll be dead before chapter 12.

There are numerous moments of uplifting achievements, which are only to be negated a sentence later due to utter lunacy and illogical reason. It qualifies him as something of a medical marvel because they ARE of reason to an addict. The bit about scavenging the homes for sale I thought was his dastardly pinnacle. But the flying back and forth to Switzerland officially reaches evil genius status and definitely takes the cake (or flan). And just when you think he is on the right track he derails just one more time into the same repetitive, self-destructive patterns again and again. Which brings the book to its most aggravating aspect as it becomes so incredibly redundant about only halfway through. Even to the point where either Perry while in writing mode was still sifting through his lucid moments, or it was his editor who was the one popping pills. Because several passages word for word (including the infamous Keanu Reeves statement) get repeated a handful of times throughout the book to where YOU end up screaming at your Kindle, “is it him or am I the one who’s crazy??”

But as far as the uplifting stuff there’s, of course, his relocation from Canada in his teens and his slow-burn rise to fame with all of the 80s either guest appearances or failed pilots. Right to the point of the Chandler audition, which actually cost him a close friendship because a buddy of his was up for the part, resulting in the two not speaking for three years. Ah, but then comes the fun house of fame, fortune and f***king (LOTS of f***ing f***ing. I think he banged more girls than Joey!), all of which he doesn’t fail to mention to you at least once a chapter as to the quantity of how much brain he gave away.

And, in the biggest “Yet” of “Yets,” somehow ends up at his laptop in the modern day telling us this exact story, even after a years-of-abuse perforated bowel that nearly killed him. Which can only leave you in the end so very concerned for his future, a future that he’s really drawn up for himself in terms of eventually finding solid love and having babies. Though only 53, who knows how much of that future he will actually see.

So, Mr. Matthew Langford Perry, aka Chandler Muriel Bing, thank you for opening up to us. Even if it did re-define the very picture of hopeless and awkward and desperate for love (his words, not mine).

148 people found this helpful

California Dreaming

Not Really a "Kiss and Tell" but Maybe a "Drug and Tell"

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2022

Verified Purchase

I'll admit, I rarely watched "Friends" when episodes first aired. My wife started binge watching it a couple years ago or so, probably during the pandemic, and so I started watching it with her. I do think that I was a little too hard on the show though as I always thought that it was a bit of a "Seinfeld" "rip-off." In reality there are enough differences in the shows that now, after watching the entire series of each, I've relaxed my criticism. A bit.

And I rarely read autobiographies, or what people usually call "memoirs" nowadays. I usually am reading true-crime books, in particular those about serial killers. I did read "C'mon, Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus" (CGH) from David Cassidy in 2021 and I actually liked Mr. Cassidy LESS after reading his memoir. I kind of wish I wouldn't have read CGH and just remembered him instead from his time on the show. It's just that I found Mr. Cassidy to be a bit of a braggart while reading and while I finished CGH I was struggling to even care towards the end. I'm guessing that Susan Dey felt the same. Ahem.

Now, rarely does Matthew Perry "brag" during "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir" (FLB) about himself. He does discuss how much money he made during filming of "Friends," and I don't have a problem with that, mostly because he discusses how David Schwimmer actually was instrumental in negotiating a great deal for the entire cast and not just for Mr. Schwimmer. In reality Mr. Perry is far more self-deprecating in FLB than Mr. Cassidy is in CGH. Mr. Perry doesn't seem to hide much when it comes to his struggles with addiction and if he does underplay it, well, he must be REALLY bad. Mr. Perry discusses how he was taking up to 55 pain killers a day and that is extreme. For those who don't know, pain killers tend to dry you out and slow down digestion so I have no idea how someone could take that many for any length of time and survive.

Well, Mr. Perry almost didn't survive.

Mr. Perry was rushed by a friend from one of his many stints in rehab to the hospital and the people running the rehab facility tried to stop him. If they had been successful Mr. Perry surely would've died. Heck, he still should've died in the hospital even though he had probably the best care that money could buy. From memory he said that only "two percent of people survive on the machine required to keep him alive," and I think he also called it a "Hail Mary."

Overall I really liked FLB and I actually read it in one day. As a matter of fact I couldn't sleep last night and kept picking up my Kindle device and would continue reading. Usually readers might say, "I couldn't put it down!" but I might say, "I couldn't leave it down." Over and over I picked up my device, opened the Kindle app, and continued from my last bookmark. Luckily for me Kindle apps save the bookmark for me and that's only one of the reasons I tend to almost only read digital. I will buy a paperback or a hardcover version but only if I MUST read a book and there is no digital version.

But still FLB is not a "perfect book," far from it. Towards the end I think that Mr. Perry starts to repeat himself and I got the feeling that he was on a tight deadline and just hammered out the last few chapters. I don't know if he first created an outline -- I think that all authors should do so at an early phase in writing -- but I think a good outline would've really helped create a more polished effort. It's also the case that Mr. Perry has a tendency to use too many parentheticals and that becomes a bit of a distraction for the reader.

Not that it bothers me but it might bother some readers: Mr. Perry does discuss religion, or at least God, quite a bit towards the end. If religion is a turnoff, I think that FLB may not be for you. Mr. Perry does seem to think that God helped keep him alive, maybe even helped him break some addictions, and that is fine by me. I can't prove it either way, and it is Mr. Perry's memoir, so he has a right to think and write whatever he chooses. Personally, I appreciate his honesty.

Mr. Perry does admit going into open houses and swiping pain meds from home sellers and that reminded me a lot of Ryan Leaf. I think that Mr. Leaf used to do the same thing and it got that ex-NFL player quite a few years in prison for it. From a legal standpoint if I were Mr. Perry, and I were writing a memoir, I think I might not have disclosed this. I am not a lawyer and I don't know what legal troubles it could cause him now.

There has been quite a bit of noise about how Mr. Perry tends to "kiss and tell" and I think that's overblown a bit. He does discuss how he and Valerie Bertinelli made out within just a few feet of Eddie Van Halen, after Mr. Van Halen had passed out from drinking too much wine. Hey, I guess I've been there myself so I won't judge. Um, from Mr. Van Halen's perspective and not necessarily from Mr. Perry's. But Mr. Perry doesn't really dwell on it too much. I can understand how Ms. Bertinelli feels about the disclosure although of course Mr. Van Halen is no longer with us. If Mr. Van Halen were still alive I believe that Mr. Perry probably wouldn't even bring it up. Just a guess.

Well, if you're a fan of "Friends" and Matthew Perry, and you like to read memoirs, I'll give a fairly strong recommendation for "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." If you don't fit that criteria perhaps you might want to read something else. But if you're a fan of David Cassidy from "The Partridge Family" I'll recommend you pass on his memoir. Sometimes it's better to only remember the good things about your heroes, after all.

310 people found this helpful

P. Huffman

I hope you read this book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 11, 2022

Verified Purchase

I just finished Mathew's book. I did not realize until I was almost done with his story that it could have been my father's story accept, my father died after getting septic from colon cancer surgery. He too had a fistula and they gave him liquids which spilled out and killed him. Dad drank, smoked, and took all the same drugs Mathew did. My Dad rejected AA because of step two. My Dad had an irrational fear of "insanity". My father saw shrinks and they gave him drugs to treat the fear and anxiety. My Dad had seven children with four different woman and many woman on the side. Mathew, my Dad and myself were abandoned at a critical time when we were vulnerable children. I think my Dad, Mathew and I were and are driven by the desire to have that feeling of safety and comfort we lost early in life if it ever really existed. Maybe we are trying to find that feeling of safety and comfort we imagine only exists for others. I also believe that that 'feeling' in the gut of anxiety and fear can be about a screwed up digestive track made worse by relationships, drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Relationships, drugs, alcohol and cigarettes cause and treat the discomfort of fear and anxiety. These substances and behaviors seem to bring relief but only for a moment and then they make it worse. I think the absence of depression and anxiety can be from the absence of an irritable bowel and peace of mind. Mathew was born with colic his stomach was a problem from the start.

This is a list of some of the substances he used.

Constant crying from colic Mathew was drugged with
phenobarbital so his parents could sleep.
Dilaudid
Suboxone
Valium
Xanax.
At one point he was addicted to six milligrams of Ativan a day.
booze

Oxy is what blew up Mathew's colon. The warm honey feeling he describes from the oxy paralyzes the gut bringing on depression and anxiety. At one point Mathew did sixty pills a day. My Dad suffered from Oxy. I experienced it too.

All this stuff impacts mood. Depression, fear, anxiety. Fear of depression, anxiety and fear. The same feelings of abandonment, fear and anxiety a small child feels [I felt] when I became aware I was abandoned. These feelings are alive and well in Mathew's and my body and they can be triggered by 'something happening good or bad' I don't like to leave my house because just pulling out of my driveway is stressful.

After reading the book I can better understand myself and my Dad. I was not present for my life and I mistreated the people I love while seeking relief from my addiction/discomfort. I even became co-dependent in recovery by trying to replace the substances with gurus. I too had the spiritual experience that made me feel completely loved and free from my insanity. It lasted until I tried to talk about it with other people who did not "get it". I was distracted by their lack of appreciation for what I was saying.

After reading this book I feel like I have been in rehab for a week. I see my disease better. Mathew Perry lived the unbelievable nightmare of mental illness and lived to tell about it. We focus on the substance when that substance is really just an attempt to treat the real problem. Is self-awareness of the core issue enough to free oneself from the intolerable agony of having paralyzing feelings of being discarded and fearing it will happen again and again. Even if only just by the president of the PTA. Isolation is the only way I knew to protect myself from fulfilling the prophecy my sister made to me. She said I would never have any friends. I was eight years old. She was nine. I believed her. I was all alone on Rancho Drive. I had no friends not even my sister. Just the word "friends" can trigger my discomfort. No matter how many people I call friend I can not dispel that belief. The big secret I carry is I believe I have no value. When people treat me as though I have no value I want to die. Mathew said it annihilated him to be left. Annihilated describes the feeling I want to avoid the most. Until now I could not think of a word strong enough to convey my discomfort. Annihilation feels right. Sadly, whenever I risked talking about this belief, I was told to "get over it". That would be fine accept it is who I think I am. Can I just get over it?
What or how would I know if I were over it?

"I want God to always be there for me now, whenever I clear my channel to feel his awesomeness."

I hope you read the book.

81 people found this helpful

Kathy Vullis

A Brave and Honest Memoir Which Will Help People

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

I have never been a regular viewer of Friends but on those occasions when I did watch the show the character that always stood out for me was Chandler. I found Chandler handsome, charming, funny and I felt the same for Matthew Perry who portrayed him. I've been aware of the decades long addiction problems Matthew Perry has had and when his memoir Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing (2022) came out to critical praise I wanted to read what he had to say. I was curious why Perry's addiction to drugs and alcohol started and what he has learned along the way.

And so when Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing begins we are at a crisis moment in Matthew Perry's life. It was 2018 and as he tells us his colon ruptured due to years of opioid use. It was a life threatening situation and after this dramatic opening some readers may decide they've had enough. But that would be a mistake.

I know for myself that I learned alot not only about Perry's struggles with substance abuse which is the major part of the book but also about his childhood growing up in Ottawa and Los Angeles. He had plan as a teenager to become a tennis pro but realized he was good but would never be great. And so following in his father's footsteps he decided to give acting a try. He loved it and was great at it. We learn about Perry's audition for Friends and he continues to be extremely grateful for his time on the show and remains close with the cast and crew to this day.

And that is what is so admirable about this memoir because as hard as Matthew Perry can be on himself, he is very generous when talking about his parents, siblings, friends, girlfriends, co-stars. This is a serious memoir about addiction and I finished the book wanting the best for Matthew Perry and if a reader is a fan of Chandler I think knowing about the actor who portrayed him will not disappoint. I recommend Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing and I believe its a book that will help people.

4 people found this helpful

Lisa Busby

Honest and compelling

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 16, 2023

Verified Purchase

Although, at times, the writing is a little confusing and the 'Keanu' comment really should have been taken out by Matthew's editor, I found this book compelling and difficult to put down.
This is an honest account of addiction and I applaud Mr Perry for bravely sharing his life in this way. Having known people with addiction, who sadly did not make it, I am grateful that this book shines a light, not only for other addicts (therefore showing you are not alone and even the rich and famous can have their lives ruined by drugs and alcohol) but also to the judgemental who have no idea what addiction is.
I feel sad that he has gone through so much and, what should have been an amazing experience i.e Friends, was overshadowed by an intense loneliness and foreboding. And yet, he still battles on (how incredible addicts are each day they say no) and aims to help others because that's what life is about.
This is not a literary masterpiece but it is, I believe, more important than that because it is an honest account of a man's battle through life.

One person found this helpful

See all reviews

Amazon Music Stream millions of songs	Amazon Advertising Find, attract and engage customers	Amazon Business Everything for your business	Amazon Drive Cloud storage from Amazon	Amazon Web Services Scalable Cloud Computing Services

Book Depository Books With Free Delivery Worldwide	Goodreads Book reviews & recommendations	IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities	Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime	Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands

Warehouse Deals Open-Box Discounts	Whole Foods Market We Believe in Real Food	Amazon Renewed Like-new products you can trust	Blink Smart Security for Every Home

Buy new: $29.23$29.23 FREE delivery: Tuesday, June 13 Ships from: Amazon.ca Sold by: Amazon.ca

Buy used: $21.50

Follow the Author

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir Hardcover – Deckle Edge, Nov. 1 2022

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Product description

Review

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Matthew Perry

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy new:

$29.23

FREE delivery: Tuesday, June 13

Ships from: Amazon.ca

Sold by: Amazon.ca

Buy used:

$21.50