Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Julie's Review: Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Summary: A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye. A teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood. The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics both on the set and in the actual White House. And in between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the eighties, leading to his quest for family and sobriety. Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last twenty-five years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable. ~henryholt.com

Review: I don't think I'm much different from any girl in my age group who had a serious crush on Rob Lowe. So when I heard he was writing a memoir I was interested. When it was published and received rave reviews, I was intrigued enough to want to read it. I'm not a memoir reader. I've tried and I dislike them. This isn't like any memoir I've read...it's interesting and not at all self-serving. I felt like I was sitting across the dinner table with him and he was telling me stories about the business. I think this is rare in a memoir as is the fact that I believe he was unfailingly honest. Did he leave stuff out about his life? Yes, but I'm ok with that. Maybe he'll write another book and I'll run out to buy it.

I've always been fascinated with Hollywood and what it takes to become a "star". In fact, I'm pretty sure that if I had ever tried my hand at Hollywood I would have failed miserably. He does an excellent job of taking the reader through his early career and the movies he made. The ones that took off and the ones that didn't. I've always loved The Outsiders

1 comment:

  1. I don't read memoirs either, but I think I'm putting this one on the TBR pile. Thanks, Jules!

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