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)

Excellent

Would you consider the audio edition of Stories I Only Tell My Friends to be better than the print version?

YES

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rob, of course

What does Rob Lowe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

love that it was him reading it, made it more authentic

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

?

Any additional comments?

Think he is an incrediblely honest, human being. We all have flaws and skeletins in our closets. The key theme I felt during this is a better understanding what he went through and that their is much more to the story than what the media portrays. HE was very candid and I could see how he could have got caught up in things as he did. He is human like everyone else, real and interesting, has something, a gift to share!

Definitely worth the credit!

I have never been a fan of celebrity autobiographies; I'm generally just not that interested. So, even though I have always liked Rob Lowe's acting (especially on the West Wing), I wasn't particularly interested in this book. It was the incredible reader reviews that changed my mind, and I am so glad that I did. This book is as thoroughly charming as the author appears to be. What an incredible life he's had, and what a great storyteller he is. I'm about to go and tell all of my friends to read this book, but most of all, I'm going to recommend it to my mother, who stopped watching The West Wing when "Sam Seaborn" left. If you're interested in a life well-lived, with few regrets and lessons learned, you'll love this book.

I thought this was going to be a guilty pleasure

Where does Stories I Only Tell My Friends rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of those books I was going to be embarrassed to admit I had read. I was wrong. This is one of the best autobiographies I've come across in a while. Rob Lowe's life has certainly been interesting. Most memorable for me was the Brat Pack period. I, too, was in my early/mid 20's during the 80's and I remember that time with fondness, how we thought we had it all figured out. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Rob Lowe is actually quite a gifted storyteller, and his narration is outstanding. His voice is soothing, and his diction is impeccable. I would recommend listening to this book much more so than reading it, as I believe some of the essence would be lost on a mere printed page.

Great Perspective and Beautifully Told!!

Highly recommend this autobiography. As a fan of Rob Lowe's in the 80's and even today, it was a very interesting listen. With the scandal seeking world of today, Rob Lowe's autobiography was anything but tabloid. The stories about other famous people: Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze just to name a few, were not scandalous, but extremely heartwarming and funny. No one except the writer himself was "thrown under the bus", as every story was told in a way that truly shows that respect of family and friends is what has made this life so remarkable. The stories are not your typical run of the mill type, but the majority leaves the listener with goosebumps, a tear, or in most cases a laugh. One of the best autobiographies I have listened to and/or read. This books certainly does not disappoint, in fact it left this listener wanting more. Rob Lowe has certainly mastered the art of story telling, a time honored tradition which has fallen by the wayside. The title alone, "Stories I only Tell my Friends" is very prolific. Afterwards, you feel as you have been brought into his inner sanctem.

I actually really enjoyed this book

What did you love best about Stories I Only Tell My Friends?

I am a couple of years older than Rob Lowe so much of the stories he spoke about were things I could relate to. Hearing the behind the scenes stories of people and projects I remember was fun.

What about Rob Lowe’s performance did you like?

His voice was easy to listen to and understand. It was good to hear the stories from his voice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but since I listen on my commute it's not possible.

Any additional comments?

Rob was very careful in this book to not speak negatively about others. If you want to hear Hollywood dirt you will be disappointed. I didn't mind it though. It was kind of refreshing to just hear mostly fun and positive stories. I must admit that I've watched a few old Rob Lowe movies again after reading.

Highly Enjoyable

Very fun to sit back and hear all the interesting stories from Rob Lowe's treasure trove of experiences. Kind of felt like he was sharing over a glass of wine, very entertaining and quite enjoyable.

Great storytelling.

An amazing "read", wonderful story telling, you will not want it to end. I now have more respect and appreciation for this self described pretty boy. Wonderfully narrated by Rob Lowe himself this is a steal!

Started off a little pretentious but ended well. Was great to hear about his on set experiences. listened to this right after reading Chris Farley Show. Would recommend books of these periods to be read together.

Much better than I expected it to be

I don't read a lot of biographies, at least not of living actors, I usually couldn't care less. But, Rob Lowe was a figure from my childhood and I have liked who he seems to be, which seems to be a nice person. This book was a very entertaining look at youth, stardom, and the hazards of Hollywood, told with candor and humor. I really enjoyed it, and was still glad that I had never run away to Hollywood to find fame.

Excellent!

Would you consider the audio edition of Stories I Only Tell My Friends to be better than the print version?

Yes, since it is read by Rob Lowe.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rob - story is about him.

Have you listened to any of Rob Lowe’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no - I don't think there are any others

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but do to the length, not possible

Any additional comments?

Rob is a good story teller.