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)

Fun, Insightful and Well Written

I really enjoyed listening to this audio book. Rob Lowe is not only a great actor but a master storyteller and writer. One of the things I liked most about the book is that it was written with integrity and avoids telling a story at the expense of other celebrities. Bravo, Mr. Lowe, bravo.

A Great Listen!

I have very happy with this book. Rob did a great job narrating this/his book.
It was very interesting and kept me entertained.
I highly recommend this book.

Wow, what a great book!

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

I didn't read the print version, but I think having Rob Lowe narrate this book made it so much better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Stories I Only Tell My Friends?

So many it's hard to pick. I grew up about the same time as Rob Lowe, so it's pretty neat to hear the behind the scenes of how The Outsiders was made.

Which character – as performed by Rob Lowe – was your favorite?

Christopher Walken - cracked me up.

Any additional comments?

Rob Lowe is like Forrest Gump - LOL

animated storytelling

really enjoyed this autobiography. while it can be cliche at times, it's also very honest and raw. Mr. Lowe does not sugarcoat his behavior or how things happened. it was this honesty and plain descriptions that were intriguing Nd made me like him as a human.

Surprisingly... a really enjoyable "read"

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

Hard to say whether the audio version would have been better than print. It was nice to hear Rob Lowe read his own biography, it made it seem like "his" story. But the way he read it was a little, not sure how to describe it, stilted? I could hear him reading. That being said, I still think I would have chosen to hear it vs. read it.

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

It's great to hear an autobiography read by the author. It makes the story more real and more personal.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Honestly, I loved the book. I really enjoyed his candor and perspective. it gave me a lot of insight into the process of acting and how important relationships and "right time, right place" are to the twists and turns of an actor's career. More than that, the author really shared himself with the reader - insecurities, inner thoughts, mistakes and all. Whether he's as positive, optmistic, patriotic and grateful as he comes across I'll never know, he may have been putting his best self out there. The book came across as if it was an exercise in getting to know himself and taking stock of where he's at at this stage of his life. I felt like he's someone I would really enjoy getting to know, would love to get our two families together and talk about life and love and raising a family.

Any additional comments?

I would never have selected this book if it wasn't for the reviews of other Audible listeners. I'm Rob Lowe's age and grew up during the "Brat Pack" years. I saw the cover of the book while looking for a change of pace. I would have just passed it by had I not read how much other people enjoyed his story. I'm glad I gave it a chance. It had more depth than I would have expected. I looked forward to listening every commute and was sorry when it ended.

Your gonna love this!!

It was absolutely wonderful! I could listen to Rob read all day! The story is entertaining and factual. Hope he keeps writing !

One of the best books ever!

Beautifully written, this book is more than an autobiography of Lowe's life. It is an unflinching look at life itself, without any self-pity at all and a great deal of humor! It is about how life really is, whether one is famous or not, and what one can do to make it better, through bravery and honesty. I feel braver for having read it! A Triumph! Thank you, Mr. Lowe!

Melanie Davis

Enjoyed this book

I really enjoyed this book. Interesting autobiography with many things I did not know. I’m a big fan when authors read their own books. In the land of Hollywood, it was refreshing to find another actor who has a long and happy marriage and seems to have his personal priorities right.

Get to know the real Rob Lowe

What a treat it was to get to know Rob Lowe. It was a wise move for him to read the book to us to make it come alive.

Rob is genuine, thoughtful, intelligent, articulate, entertaining, energetic, fun, honest and kind.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and am inspired by Rob to also be more true to myself.

Highly recommended.

Delightful.

Lowe just seems like an awesome human. The book is enjoyable and Lowe is quite funny. I liked every moment.

Great read by Lowe.