Rob Warner reviewed Stories I only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
Review of 'Stories I only Tell My Friends' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This was a surprisingly pleasant read. Lowe describes his path through life and Hollywood, whitewashing most of the salaciousness that his reputation carried, and gives you a glimpse of what it means to go from Dayton, Ohio, to the big time. He's open and honest about how much he mishandled fame, and how he's been able to rebound. He glosses over the gory details that plagued him through the '80s, only hinting at some sex tape episode I only vaguely remember from my youth, and never mentioning the "Rob Lowe died from AIDS" rumor that I distinctly remember from middle school/high school days. Instead, he talks about the contrast between living on the social fringe to having crazed fangirls throwing themselves at him, the angst of trying to make it in Hollywood, the effort it takes to act, and the friendships he gained in the entertainment business. I was amazed …
This was a surprisingly pleasant read. Lowe describes his path through life and Hollywood, whitewashing most of the salaciousness that his reputation carried, and gives you a glimpse of what it means to go from Dayton, Ohio, to the big time. He's open and honest about how much he mishandled fame, and how he's been able to rebound. He glosses over the gory details that plagued him through the '80s, only hinting at some sex tape episode I only vaguely remember from my youth, and never mentioning the "Rob Lowe died from AIDS" rumor that I distinctly remember from middle school/high school days. Instead, he talks about the contrast between living on the social fringe to having crazed fangirls throwing themselves at him, the angst of trying to make it in Hollywood, the effort it takes to act, and the friendships he gained in the entertainment business. I was amazed at the number of people he met before they became big.
I've missed a lot of the movies from Lowe's career, as they're more explicit than what I choose, but I'm now going to watch The Outsiders, hunt for this 2003 edition that restores a lot of his scenes, and watch again the West Wing DVDs that we watched some years ago. I know Lowe is more complex than this narrative reveals, and the sexual escapades played a bigger part of his formative years than he lets on, but I think that the story he chooses to tell now describes more about who he is now, as a mature adult.
Expect an enjoyable read, especially if you were a youth in the 1980s and yearn for a little nostalgia. Nothing earth-shattering or life changing--no tell-alls, exposes, or dirt-dishing--just a guy who hit it big, played hard, sobered up, and lived to tell the tale.
