Stories I Only Tell My Friends

An Autobiography

By: Rob Lowe

Narrated by: Rob Lowe

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

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.

©2011 Robert Lowe (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"[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)

"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)

"A lovely autobiography, equal parts dish and pathos.” (Vanity Fair)

Respect for standing up to Hollywood!

Thank you for your openness and sharing the highs and lows. respect comes to mind

Wonderful!

Absolutely loved listening to Rob Lowe tell his own story.... very engaging! You’ll love it!

Excellent narrator, cool stories.

It’s always cool to hear a book from it’s author, specially in autobiography’s since they were the ones who lived and were there. I like how he does impressions of people so you can really get the full picture and his delivery is perfect. The stories are great. I remember growing up in the 80s, watching those films as a kid you never stopped to think what their lives were like or how they became movie stars. Listening to the back stories of films just makes it full circle. He’s had a cool life and is a very talented guy. I enjoyed the book.

Gifted storyteller

I so enjoyed this book! There is an art to storytelling and certainly writing...Rob Lowe hits both marks. I’m sure that if I had read this book, I would have enjoyed it, but I’m so happy I chose to listen to the author read his book...voices and all! Highly recommend this book!

Book of the year!

Best memoir writing and storytelling I’ve ever read, and I read them all. You won’t regret the time you spend listening to Rob’s voice—and hearing his inner voice—and will only wish it lasted longer. Beautiful, impactful writing. Impeccable delivery.

Fantastic! Intimate, thoughtful and Vulnerable!

Thank you, Rob, for this very intimate look into your life. From childhood to the beginnings of an amazing career I was captivated . The insight into the group of talented friends with whom you navigated the industry was riveting. Like lightning in a bottle, this group would prove to be some of the most talented actors of our time. And the behind the scenes of them working their craft at such a young age was inspiring.

I am struck by your honesty, sincerity and total vulnerability as you reveal your journey: successes, struggles and everything in between, made all the better by hearing your voice recount these feelings and events.

Thank you for sharing your gifts. I was a fan before, but now I’m a Suoerfan, eager to revisit your body of work.

Blessings to you on the rest of your journey.

Funny, easy read

This book took me by surprise with Rob’s wit and smooth story telling skills. I’m on a roll with autobiographies and this one really stands out. It’s fun to be pleasantly surprised as some recent autobiographies have left me feeling like I’m doing required reading for school. I laughed out loud many times.

Not Surprisingly Excellent

While I thought this would be an interesting read, I was was fascinated by and thoroughly enjoyed every chapter. Further, Rob Lowe needs to narrate way more audiobooks!!

Really enjoyed.

Great! Loved it. Rob was quite eloquent. Also unassuming. I couldn't stop listening. Best memoir I have read to date.

read this book if you are in your forties

This is a must read for anyone who graduated high school between 1982 and 1991. I grew up with Rob Lowe, the Sheens and the Penns. I never read non-fiction unless it is required. A girlfriend gave my a Vanity Fair magazine this book was featured in. I read the article and could not wait to buy the book to continue a great story. Rob lowe comes across as genuinely nice, funny, smart and kind. I loved the way he explained his own weaknesses without dragging his friends and family down. He took blame and did not take advantage of this platform to gossip about his peers or politics. This was a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone who ever wore a banana clip, stirrup pants, shaker sweaters, sweater vests or parachute pants.