This book requires a certain mindset and I caution readers to prepare themselves for a memoir of alcoholism and addiction that is stunning in several ways. First, it's hard to believe that Matthew Perry, one of the stars of the television sitcom Friends, is still alive after everything his body has been through. Second, his candid sharing of stories about himself and others surprised me, and probably surprised those he spilled the beans about. If you picked up a People magazine or US Weekly anytime between 1994 and 2004 you saw stories and photos about Matthew and the numerous starlets he was dating, but wow, he shares a lot about some of them.
His mother and father are famous, too, in their own ways. His mother, Suzanne Perry, served as the press secretary to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and his father, John Bennett Perry, was the suave sailor from the 1970s and 1980s Old Spice commercials. In addition, Matthew was a nationally ranked junior singles and doubles tennis player.
The memoir is broken up into segments about fame: his own and the fame of those close to him throughout his life, the Friends years, his attempts to find a stable relationship, and finally the big terrible thing: how alcoholism and addiction have affected his life. In between chapters are little interludes which serve as a clever device to break the tension and share lighter, funny bits. I needed a break from the many health scares and relapses from sober living. I knew what I was getting into with this book, but it was still hard for me to read. Perry's character Chandler Bing was my favorite character on Friends and I only want good things for him.
Beyond the alcoholism, addiction and overall bad behavior is a charming, funny, smart, talented, handsome man with a fascinating family story and the chance to live differently now that he's sober. I'm rooting for him. I'm also happy he's found pickle ball. It seems like a good choice.