Stories I Only Tell My Friends

By: Rob Lowe

Narrated by: Rob Lowe

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

A wryly funny and moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye.

Teen idol at 15, 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 uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-1970s 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 Rob Lowe (P)2011 Random House AudioBooks

Interesting Life

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

It's very interesting. I found the story to be engaging and well paced.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mr. Lowe himself! After all.... That's who it's about

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

His reading of the story is great. You get the sense that he's speaking to you

Such a lovely Storyteller - not just a pretty face

I was enthralled by his caressing voice and rewarded to realise, yet again, Rob Lowe is far more that a pretty face. I was surprised by how easily I fell into the story and how well I was held to the end.

Gossip filled fun fest

Rob Lowe talks about his childhood upbringing an acting career. There is a great deal of non malicious but delicious gossip about people I've heard of. Rob Lowe's voice is glorious, and his story is entertaining.

Absolutely Brilliant!

One of the greats of the 1980's shares his career and personal life. A fantastic book, very well written with great lough out loud moments.
Sit back and enjoy stories about The Outsiders, The West Wing, St Elmos Fire and my personal favourite Youngblood!
Paul Aladjadjian - Sydney Australia

Amazing read

Well written, fantastic memoir from one of my favourite Brat Pack actors from the 1980s

LOVED IT!!!! Want to press replay.

Would you listen to Stories I Only Tell My Friends again? Why?

Yes, even the moment I'd just finished listening I wanted to replay.

What did you like best about this story?

It wasn't a story of one person, it was a story about a range of characters that I could relate to. Rob Lowe was not arrogant at all, as I sometimes find in memoirs. I felt he was 'factually telling a story'.

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

As its a memoir, when I hear 'I' or 'my', I believe it. Also his character voices that he put on were able to assist me understand the different layers of people who we come across in life.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me look at actors and other members of the film industry as humans, people and artists. I'll be getting the movies that he refers to in the book and watching from a different perspective.

Any additional comments?

Good on you Rob. I thought nothing of you before. Nothing positive, nothing negative. I now have a new found respect. Its warming.

Surprisingly entertaining

If you could sum up Stories I Only Tell My Friends in three words, what would they be?

Live and learn

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

Telling what happen to various high school acquaintances was both sad and amazing. What a life.

What about Rob Lowe’s performance did you like?

He is really easy to listen to. I miss judged him. I will now re-watch his movies and TV performances with more interest.

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

I don't think Rob Lowe got his just rewards from the TV series 'The West Wing', yet he does not seem to hang onto this. He has moved on, grown and looks at his time on the show with reverence and a growth experience. I am impressed.

Any additional comments?

I thought Rob Lowe was a 'Pretty Boy Clown'. I enjoyed some of his movies but thought he was spent. Mr Lowe, I have a new respect for your work. I liked your book, don't know why I bought it, but I ended up listening to it and enjoyed it. Thank you for this work and thank you for your body of work. I hope the best for you in the future.

A surprisingly brilliant book

I say surprisingly brilliant, but I had seen the customer ratings and read a couple of reader reviews so it may not have been a total surprise.
I bumped into Lowe's autobiography while browsing for 80s cinema related books on Amazon. Admittedly Lowe had never rated that highly on my radar, but I noticed it had a solid star rating and decided to investigate further. This was to be my first of many books here on Audible. It is my favorite audiobook so far, out of 10 or so, due to both excellent performance by Lowe as a narrator and his brilliant storytelling.
Lowe tells us the story of his life so far, holds nothing back and seems to omit details only when it might otherwise hurt someone who is, or has been close to him. Lowe's pacing is great, he gives just enough detail to never become boring and somehow manages to make the ordinary events of his early life seem just as interesting as his later years as a movie star.

Highly recommended

A good read

Rob Lowe tells a good collection of stories, written in a wry and unaggrandising way. The narration is memorable and includes good impersonations (Christopher Walken is one of my favourite examples). I was struck not only by the range of extraordinary people that Rob hobnobbed with - having been one of the most high-profile teen stars of the 1980s - but also by his circumspect way of recounting things, sometimes with years of hndsight. This book is time well spent because it's packed with interesting and often uncannily timed moments, offering intelligent insights into the pitfalls as well as the dazzling experience of fame. A pioneer of intelligent autobiographical writing about the "Brat Pack".

Really interesting!

I loved this book and getting to know the story behind one of my favourite actors was great. It being narrated by Rob Lowe himself made it all the better!!