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Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Hardcover – Bargain Price, April 26, 2011
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Lowe, actor and 1980s teen idol, delivers a keen and insightful look at how the movie industry packages a celebrity, the phenomenon of "objectification," and being "The Next Big Thing." His astute look into a Midwest childhood, as well as counterculture Malibu as a young adult, raises lifelong issues of isolation and detachment for him as he adapted the persona of "a people pleaser with very few personal boundaries." Lowe vividly records the making of Coppola's The Outsiders, witnessing the emergence of Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, and Patrick Swayze alongside his own career launch. He offers insightful anecdotes about people he knew throughout his career, such as Jodie Foster, Andy Warhol, Roman Polanski, Jane Fonda, Michael Dukakis, and Princess Stephanie of Monaco. In an era that he describes as self-indulgent, he discusses his alcoholism, his video escapade, and his life as defined by the term "Brat Pack." In the end of this honest memoir, Lowe tells of his reformed life, in which he got married, had a family, and landed a career-defining role in The West Wing. (May)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"A lovely autobiography, equal parts dish and pathos."--Vanity Fair
"[Lowe] writes viscerally and insightfully...He looks back at the aberrant highs of his heart-throb days, the changing nature of stardom in Hollywood, the trade-off he has made between high life and home life, and the step-by-step effort behind his show business survival. He looked like the callowest kid in the "Outsiders" crew. Now he looks like the sturdiest of them all"--The New York Times
"I really enjoyed it...Thoroughly entertaining: the Brat Pack years, the Wayne's World years, the Alcoholic Obscurity, the Glamorous Romances (Princess Stephanie of Monaco!), the Inevitable Rehab, and the Triumphant Comeback on The West Wing."--Time Magazine
"[Lowe's] charming, honest, even affectionate memoir is the story of strong guts behind a strikingly handsome face...A book to recommend widely."--Booklist
"A fresh pop-culture history of Hollywood in the ’70s and ’80s from the point of view of the man who lived it…[Lowe] is as funny as he is thoughtful. This is the best type of celeb memoir, because its author is as interested in the world as the world is interested in him."--People Magazine
"The world would be a better place if more stars’ memoirs were like Lowe’s--chatty, dishy, and with celebrity walk-ons (Tom Cruise! Sarah Jessica Parker! Princess Stephanie of Monaco! Martin Sheen!) galore. As entertaining as a Brat Pack film festival."--Parade
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
190 of 195 people found the following review helpful
By
M. Hagen
on April 28, 2011
Format: Hardcover
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To be honest, my main reason for buying this book was that I was a huge "Outsiders" fan back in the early 80's. I always felt Rob was the best looking Greaser in the cast & as the years passed, also felt he was the best looking of the Brat Pack. I certainly didn't expect his book to be more than a compilation of stories about his life in Hollywood but it is more than that. He discusses his parent's divorce, his mother's depression, their financial struggles & his love for his wife & sons. He also gives Outsiders fans a great behind-the-scenes look into the making of that film. He is very candid & exposes himself as a flawed human being like the rest of us. He does discuss other Hollywood pals & tells some great stories but he doesn't make their celebrity the focal point of these tales or his book. A must read for those who loved the movie the Outsiders and anyone who is a fan of Rob's.
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69 of 70 people found the following review helpful
By
Ficwriter1966
on May 2, 2011
Format: Hardcover
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As several other reviewers have mentioned, I ordered this book for my Kindle after seeing Rob on "Oprah!" last week. I'm almost finished with it (2 more chapters to go) and have enjoyed every word.
Those readers looking for salacious, mean-spirited gossip won't find it here. But Rob does talk a great deal about the famous folk he's been involved with over the years: JFK Jr., the Sheens, Daryl Hannah, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, and of course his fellow members of the Brat Pack. His fondness for many of them shines through, and he describes the relationships in such a way that I felt I'd had an honest little glimpse of each one.
As a movie and TV buff for most of my life, I loved the behind-the-scenes glimpses of Rob's various projects, particularly "The Outsiders" and "The West Wing."
Others may pick up this book with different expectations, but I've found it well worth the investment of time and money. Thanks, Rob, for the interesting peek inside your various worlds: son and brother, fledgling actor, Brat Packer, Hollywood superstar, and finally, devoted husband and brother.
Those readers looking for salacious, mean-spirited gossip won't find it here. But Rob does talk a great deal about the famous folk he's been involved with over the years: JFK Jr., the Sheens, Daryl Hannah, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, and of course his fellow members of the Brat Pack. His fondness for many of them shines through, and he describes the relationships in such a way that I felt I'd had an honest little glimpse of each one.
As a movie and TV buff for most of my life, I loved the behind-the-scenes glimpses of Rob's various projects, particularly "The Outsiders" and "The West Wing."
Others may pick up this book with different expectations, but I've found it well worth the investment of time and money. Thanks, Rob, for the interesting peek inside your various worlds: son and brother, fledgling actor, Brat Packer, Hollywood superstar, and finally, devoted husband and brother.
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119 of 128 people found the following review helpful
By
Julia Eriksen
on April 27, 2011
Format: Hardcover
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As soon as I read the book excerpt in Vanity Fair I knew I would have to read Rob Lowe's book and it does not disappoint. He has had a very interesting life and shares the details with a humbleness you would not expect. Whether you are a huge fan of his work over time or fell for his way too good looking young face 25 years ago (which has only improved with age)Rob reveals himself and his imperfections, vulnerabilities , and genuine spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and would like to thank Mike Myers for suggesting he write it.
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63 of 67 people found the following review helpful
By
JulesSC
on May 2, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition
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Rob puts great detail into his early years; his somewhat dysfunctional family and his fascination with movies and acting. The best stories are the ones where famous people cross his path early in his career and the impact they have later (JFK Jr, the Sheen family, Cary Grant). My one complaint is that he glossed over a few important events. He says that the fallout from the sex tape scandal was the catalyst to his sobriety but barely mentions the event itself. Also, his wife of 20 years is introduced very abruptly, his mother's mental illness during his younger years is discussed in great detail but her sudden recovery isn't. The West Wing is the last thing that he discusses in any detail even though his work on Brothers and Sisters was some of his best (heart attack episode, anyone?)but he only mentions it in one sentence. Having said all that, I actually liked Rob's style of writing. It was a quick and fascinating read. It felt like he ran out of time before the publishing deadline and that maybe there are more stories to come.
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29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By
Linda Dalton
VINE VOICE on May 6, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition
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I was never a big Rob Lowe fan during his heyday. I guess I just considered him a very fortunate and moderately interesting pretty boy. Except for The West Wing I couldn't even remember a single movie the guy was in. Sorry.
I bought this book after reading an excerpt in Vanity Fair. What an absolutely delightful surprise. Thoroughly entertaining, funny, insightful, reflective and a little saucy. Something he can be very, very proud of. It isn't often that I pre-order a book sight unseen by an unknown author, but I'm really, really glad that I did so this time.
If you're a fan of Mr. Lowe or just a fan of the movie industry, I strongly recommend you buy this book. It will keep you engrossed and leave you with a positive feeling at the end of it all that this guy turned out pretty good (not just pretty). I think I might need to plan a Rob Lowe retrospective movie week-end in the near future.
I bought this book after reading an excerpt in Vanity Fair. What an absolutely delightful surprise. Thoroughly entertaining, funny, insightful, reflective and a little saucy. Something he can be very, very proud of. It isn't often that I pre-order a book sight unseen by an unknown author, but I'm really, really glad that I did so this time.
If you're a fan of Mr. Lowe or just a fan of the movie industry, I strongly recommend you buy this book. It will keep you engrossed and leave you with a positive feeling at the end of it all that this guy turned out pretty good (not just pretty). I think I might need to plan a Rob Lowe retrospective movie week-end in the near future.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By
Arlaine Rockey
on May 19, 2011
Format: Hardcover
1 Comment
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I'll start by saying that I'm an attorney, writer, avid reader, and cinephile and "St. Elmo's Fire" and "About Last Night" are two of my favorite movies -- in part because I was in my 20s when they came out -- so, on one hand, I'm probably more critical of books and on the other hand, I love this stuff. Honestly, this book was so interesting and very well-written. He has had an incredible life, and there are really interesting personal encounters he's had with famous actors his whole life, even when he was a kid living in Dayton OH, some even before he was famous (before "The Outsiders" came out). The book is also funny. Truly LOL funny sometimes. It was a revealing story about a literally beautiful person with insecurity (in part because he was shunned as a nerd and theater geek in school) that didn't match up to what he appeared to be on the outside -- assumptions assumptions (guilty) -- and how that affects your life. (This review is actually from an email I wrote my sister, but I decided to share since I already sounded like a commercial). I came away having been entertained and having a lot of respect for Rob Lowe, who has proved he's more than a pretty face.
***** SPOILER ALERT *****
I was so amazed at the people he's met: Liza Minelli (when he was not even a teenager), Darryl Hannah (as a teenager before she was famous -- by a fluke), John Kennedy, Jr., Lucille Ball, and the most amazing one I thought was that he dated Cary Grant's daughter (charming story there about the most wonderful Cary Grant). He also talks about his affair with Princess Stephanie of Monaco -- wild. He also grew up with Sean and Chris Penn and Emilio Estevez and his crazy ass bro Charlie Sheen (who was crazy even then)(& he later worked with their dad on "The West Wing")...Read more ›
***** SPOILER ALERT *****
I was so amazed at the people he's met: Liza Minelli (when he was not even a teenager), Darryl Hannah (as a teenager before she was famous -- by a fluke), John Kennedy, Jr., Lucille Ball, and the most amazing one I thought was that he dated Cary Grant's daughter (charming story there about the most wonderful Cary Grant). He also talks about his affair with Princess Stephanie of Monaco -- wild. He also grew up with Sean and Chris Penn and Emilio Estevez and his crazy ass bro Charlie Sheen (who was crazy even then)(& he later worked with their dad on "The West Wing")...Read more ›
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