Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

"A memoir this honest and unvarnished has never been written, and it might even save lives." Everyday Mail

Funny, intriguing, and captivating—a fantastic read for Friends fans as well The Period

In this open, hilarious, and enlightening memoir, the adored Friends star shares with us behind-the-scenes glimpses into the hit sitcom and his battles with addiction while conveying a potent message of perseverance and optimism.

This is the captivating tale of well-known actor Matthew Perry, who follows us on his path from boyhood aspirations to celebrity, addiction, and recovery following a potentially fatal medical emergency. Before the regular trips to the hospital and extended stays in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled between his divorced parents from Montreal to Los Angeles; fourteen-year-old Matthew, a nationally ranked tennis player in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who secured a highly sought-after position as a main cast member on the highly anticipated pilot Friends Like Us at the time; and so much more.

Matthew Perry reveals in an incredible tale that only he could tell—and in the warm, funny, and intimate way that only he could tell it—the broken family that both raised and abandoned him, the need for acceptance that propelled him to stardom, and the emptiness inside of him that could not be satisfied even by realizing his biggest fantasies. Along with sharing anecdotes about his castmates and other celebrities he encountered along the road, he also discusses the serenity he's found in sobriety and his feelings over Friends' pervasiveness. Perry, who seems to have it all, is self-aware, frank, and full of his signature humor. He portrays his lengthy struggle with addiction and the things that drove it in a powerful way.

A hand is given to everyone dealing with sobriety in this remarkable book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which is both private and eye-opening. Fans have long awaited this book—it is heartbreakingly humorous, deeply emotional, and frank all at once.

"An unsettling and frequently terrifying must-read for fans of 90s pop culture." Defender

"Composed with the trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation of Chandler" Telegraph

"A read full of hope... I began to view [it] as an addiction memoir written by a man who views his own past through the lens of showbiz, rather than as a narrative about addiction by a famous person. Independent