Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography

I am surprised this book is so old.I thought it just came out, it appears to have been written in 2010. One of the things I enjoyed the most is Rob doesn't seem to take himself TO seriously. I mean that in best was possible. There is zero "flexing" on his part. I adore the fact that above all his family seems to be and has always been his happy place. He literally, imho got screwed in many situations for being to good-looking. He doesn't bitch or cry "poor super attractive me..." He took roles (The West Wing) which they did a lot of shady movements behind his back and he still managed to not let it make him bitter. He TOOK from them what HE wanted. Thre originally offered him 65% less than his Hollywood ask. His manager got them to 50% below his sticker price. Martin Sheen was making. $250,000 per episode and the rest of cast would have secret contract and $$ negotiations as a "group" and keep it from him. That is pretty shifty. Overall I enjoyed this book. I think Rob Lowe will always work in some capacity in Hollywood and I believe he will do it on HIS terms.

A great summer read!

This biography primarily focuses on Rob's career and relationships with actor friends before they became famous. Interesting behind the scenes information on many of his movies. However, he barely scratches the surface on the more intimate sides of his life. Certainly it's his right to keep these details private, but the title of his book is misleading. Overall it's a good read and kept me interested.

What an incredible life he’s had! Interesting, motivating, and read with a fantastic voice.

Rob is a great story teller and that life of his is some story !

Great read! Well written & if you had any doubt he is definitely more than just a stunning face. I was going to say pretty but that gets into "pretty boy" & my meaning is his "pretty boy" days are past and he's a lot more mature & shown he has more substance in addition to the "face". 😀There's a lot of him that he's shared in this book I enjoy hearing about his past (childhood & starting on his way with audition stories) but also there's a lot about how he got parts in detail. He was very intense & open about his personal life more so his feelings regarding his personal life and the changes he's made in himself and how he feels about them & how he's accomplished so much even more than he dreamed if. I think about the stories of his childhood & am not surprised he has such a close relationship with his own sons & his own dad & the need & desire to develop & enjoy them The early part of the book was really emotional for me when I read it & I think it still has a place in his heart. There is laughter, surprise, sadness and interesting parts of him shared & exposed. After reading the story you'll understand. Its well written with expressive vocabulary his mom would be proud. It might have been good to hear some more of his stories from the past but he kept it pretty much about himself - his feelings & emotions. Bottom line it's well worth it ... I got it on audible and then enjoyed it so much I got a hard copy. Enjoy!!

I loved this book so much. He is a great storyteller. I remember all of his films, so it was like a walk down memory lane, but I loved seeing him grow as a man.

Rob Lowe has written a very good book about his life as a movie star. This is a worthwhile read. But it contains many holes and leaves you less than fully satisfied. Still, I do recommend this book for its strengths and will disclose what I believe are its weaknesses.This book has your typical "let me tell you about my youth and how it shaped me". Through a divorced parent background with an interest in acting in Dayton, OH, Lowe and family move to Malibu. Lowe portrays himself as shy, not well liked, somewhat like a nerd. But, then he describes as a fourteen year old an attractive sixteen year old picks him for his first conquest. Yea, Rob, that happens all the time that the shy, unsophisticated younger man gets picked like this. Eventually, he falls in with the Sheen kids Emilio and Charlie who happen to also have a Tom Cruise staying at their house quite a lot. Small world.Dramatically, Lowe gets his first job just as he is about to start college or so he writes. Then thrust into The Outsiders with Cruise, Estevez, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Ralph Macchio, this is an interesting part of the book watching these famous actors grow up through the pages of this book and on the screen in one movie. I would say this is clearly the highlight to the book, warm remembrances correctly told.Of course Lowe is bound for greater glory as a member of the Brat Pack and in typical Hollywood fashion leads the fast life. The critics seem to like that Lowe didn't sell out and delve into the tawdry details. But without doing that you have a somewhat simple story, shy kid goes big in Hollywood, lives the fast life, finds the girl of his dreams and lives happily ever after. While that may be Lowe's view, almost completely ignoring Melissa Gilbert and Demi Moore seems to be done to focus on his wife and not create controversy. He does try to justify how his sex tape was not totally his fault also which is quite a stretch.Look, I like Lowe and followed many of his movies and applaud him for a great career. Clearly he had a large fall from favor and has recovered to plod out a great living. And, I guess it's sweet to see an actor lead the hard life and recover to raise a family and have only one wife. But no mention of the tawdry charge from the housekeeper? Not even mentioned! So what you are left with is the story that Lowe wanted to tell you. And Lowe didn't want to discuss any of the controversial times. End of story. If you want a good story of a life in Hollywood then this is a solid book. If you are looking for the full story and complete honesty, well, then this falls short.

I like Rob Lowe as an actor; having seen him on Who do you think you are, I thought he came across as a nice guy but I also know that he's had his share of demons and lived on the edge a little, so when I saw the title of the book it lead me to believe it would contain snippets and bits-and-pieces of some gossip or scandal that we haven't already seen/read about in the red top newspapers; there isn't.Maybe I expected too much but I could have easily visited his wikipedia page for free and learned as much as I did through reading the book. The only difference being the book is written in his own words., and his honesty is refreshing.

I'm still reading this book and savouring every page. It's an extraordinary, honest, entertaining page-turner. Rob Lowe's writing is utterly compelling. I had a Kindle sample and was blown away by the high standard and so I bought the book, hoping it would meet my expectations - it's better than expected. I've read many autobiographies by actors, but Rob Lowe manages to take the reader on a new voyage, giving surprising insights into the way the profession functions. Rob Lowe had illustrious actor friends in his youth and opportunities most kids can only dream of, but his feet appear to have remained firmly planted on the ground, so his story isn't indulgent or starry and he understands the value of friendship. He comes across as a generous, honest, funny, kind and intelligent human being. I don't want the book to end!

This was a great insight to rob Lowes life his background and his career.I was so surprised how he had to fight for parts in films I always thought it was easy for him but I realise now how difficult it was for him. I watch rob on 9-11 and he is a good actor but I never understood why they belittle him by say he is so vain just let the bloke do a job he is probably a better actor now than when he was younger he as grown into himself after a lot of ups and downs he as a family and age to keep him stable

Like many young female fans, I had the 1980's Rob Lowe poster, I watched The Outsiders, loved Class and had St. Elmo's Fire on a loop. This autobiography is at its best when sharing his stories about his younger years - Lowe had an unconventional upbringing. As a kid he wants to be an actor, and so it is a strange twist of fate that brings him into contact with Hollywood. I enjoyed hearing about his teenage days - hard to believe the girls weren't flocking around him, but he explains it well enough. It is kind of sad that so many actors from The Brat Pack never got to show their talents later on in their careers, in a way that would fulfil the potential they showed. For Lowe who was as talented as he was, and is still, handsome, he found it hard to shake off that 'pretty boy' tag enough to have the career that Brad Pitt has enjoyed. I was disappointed there wasn't more detail about his TV career, and of course, the story does hint at scandal but there isn't really any here. You get the feeling that is out for respect for his wife and young sons, which is fine. We are just so used to brutal and frank. I am still a huge fan, and to me About Last Night will always be something magical. Perhaps I am better off not knowing too much.......................PS If you think Rob is handsome you have never seen his dad!

I wasn't sure what to think of this when I bought it, but I certainly didn't expect what we get. In the first half of the book as he reccounts his completely focused journey to being an actor I was totally inspired by his drive, energy and downright refusal to believe he would be anything else. Lowe doesn't pity himself anywhere and is completely honest about the mistakes he made in his life, as a younger person wondering what I'm going to get from life I couldn't help but take note to work harder and not give up.There are parts of the book which feel like he has held back, especially towards the end, but personally I think that even if someone is a celebrity or moviestar much of their life is really none of our business and I'm just thankful for what he has told us. Some of the stories about his shenaghians from his early life and the unknowing beginning of the 'Brat Pack' are hilarious. I especially liked the part of the book on 'The Outsiders' and I really enjoyed reading about his friendships with the other boys and their awe of an unbelieveably cool Matt Dillon and, of course, Patrick Swayze.Lowe also tells the reader all about the world of Hollywood and film, how casting works (the casting for The Outsiders sounded horrific) as well as trying to explain how he acts and contrasting it with others. The later part about the Westwing was really interesting too and I've never even watched the TV show.Overall this book was a brillant read, really funny in places and I was actually sad to see it end. The book itself is also written very well and I like that the actor has pretty much written it himself so it feels very authentic. Highly recommended :)