Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography & Love Life (2 books) - Rob Lowe

Written by Rob Lowe
Read by Rob Lowe
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography
Written by: Rob Lowe
Narrated by: Rob Lowe
Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-26-11

Audible Editor Reviews

Prepare to be amazed by the many ways this book and its author are better than you thought they would be. Everybody knows that Rob Lowe is very handsome, and that he spent a long time being a Hollywood wild child. Now in his 40s, Lowe’s reflections on his life thus far demonstrate a remarkably responsible perspective and a refreshingly self-deprecating look at how he ended up in the better state of mind he inhabits today. While the headlines and high notes may come and go, Lowe remains a devoted husband and proud father.

This listen is a small miracle for many reasons. It’s not simply the fact that Lowe reveals himself as capable of compelling writing, which he certainly does. It’s also not merely the path of the narrative that’s intriguing, though that’s definitely the case. Whether he is spending several chapters thoroughly reminiscing about the many lessons he learned during The Outsiders or sharing a quick anecdote about trying to meet Liza Minnelli when he was a little kid, Lowe indeed offers up a terrific set of insights about both life and stardom. He proves himself as a generous spirit, with strong thanks for Martin Sheen and solid praise for Patrick Swayze.

His narration is clearly heartfelt, and never comes across as phony or acted. This listen feels like a casual dinner conversation, minus the slick descent into rumor-mongering that usually rears its ugly head in memoirs of this variety. Lowe manages to steer clear of the blame game when analyzing the simultaneous blessing and curse of the Brat Pack label or his decision to leave The West Wing, and even finds some gracious adjectives for Tom Cruise. Be on the lookout for eerily spot-on impersonations of many stars, including a particularly good Christopher Walken and Matt Dillon.

In the end, it’s hard to put a finger on what makes this book so utterly fascinating. There isn’t anything shocking in the subject matter; there isn’t any mud-flinging in the tone; there is very little that stands out as an exclamation point. Yet the total package undeniably and irresistibly triumphs at being genuinely charming. This is ironic, because the book then actually sort of mirrors Lowe’s career. He’s spent the last two decades trying to upend the idea that he is simply a pretty face. The book succeeds in that endeavor, just as his several iconic film roles have done, and yet the shallow type-casting of Rob Lowe somehow too frequently persists. It’s true that he is a very dreamy guy, but this memoir absolutely proves that he is also intelligent, worldly, witty, and political. It’s an excellent listen that ought to once and for all put an end to the notion the Rob Lowe’s charisma is only skin deep. —Megan Volpert

Publisher's Summary

A wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye. A teen idol at 15, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at 20, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio who was uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-70s 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 80s, 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 25 years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable.

Love Life
Written by: Rob Lowe
Narrated by: Rob Lowe
Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-08-14

Actor, producer, and New York Times best-selling author Rob Lowe offers up a collection of personal stories in an honest and celebratory memoir about men and women, art and commerce, fathers and sons, addiction and recovery, and sex and love.

Actor Rob Lowe is an entertaining raconteur whose best-selling first audiobook, Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography, was hailed as "self-deprecatingly funny" (The New York Times) and "thoroughly entertaining" (Time) and earned the author the cover of Vanity Fair.

Love Life serves up another delicious selection of intimate stories and observations from Lowe's life, told with humor, warmth, and brutal honesty. After writing his acclaimed debut effort, Lowe felt he had more stories to share and many more friends to introduce. The result is a touching memoir about the business and craft of acting, the pitfalls of success, family, love, and much more.

Among the many adventures Lowe describes in Love Life are what it's like in the trenches as both the star and producer of a flop TV show; how a visit, as a 20-year-old, to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion led to a surprise in the hot tub; how an actor prepares for a role, as well as the practical, boots-on-the-ground details no drama or film school would ever teach you. You'll delight at the hilarious account of the time a major movie star stole his girlfriend, and of coaching a kid's basketball team dominated by omnipresent helicopter parents. The story of coming to terms with his son's departure to college for the education his father never got will touch anyone with a family.

Building on Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Love Life is the literary equivalent of returning to a favorite restaurant to savor a completely different, delicious new dish. If you love life, you'll love this audiobook.