Love Life
-
-
3.8 • 151 Ratings
-
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
Following the success of his New York Times bestselling memoir Stories I Only Tell My Friends, acclaimed actor Rob Lowe returns with Love Life—a funny, heartfelt, and deeply personal collection of stories that “invites readers into his world with easy charm and disarming frankness” (Kirkus Reviews).
In Love Life, Lowe continues to pull back the curtain on his life in Hollywood, delivering a candid and often hilarious take on celebrity, fatherhood, fame, and personal growth. With his signature blend of wit, honesty, and reflection, Lowe opens up about addiction and recovery, the ups and downs of an acting career, and the sometimes awkward, always memorable experiences that have shaped him.
Among the unforgettable stories:
-His eye-opening visit to the Playboy Mansion as a wide-eyed young actor
-An awkward childhood discovery in Malibu
-Life behind the scenes on sets like Californication and Parks and Recreation
-The trials of producing a failed TV show
-A comical experience coaching youth basketball amid overbearing parents
-Visiting college with his son, and confronting what he missed himself
-How a movie star once stole his girlfriend—and what he learned from it
Lowe’s reflections are tied together by an underlying philosophy about love, relationships, and learning from life’s curveballs. With “showbiz anecdotes, self-deprecating tales, and a general sweetness” (New York Post), Love Life is an entertaining and surprisingly moving portrait of a man who’s lived in the spotlight—and kept his sense of humor and humanity.
Perfect for fans of celebrity memoirs, behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories, and anyone who loved Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Love Life shows a beloved actor at his most open and relatable.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Actor Rob Lowe's (Stories I Only Tell My Friends) second memoir deals largely in his more recent past, using the personal essay as a form to reflect on a variety of topics most, notably his television work and life as a husband and father. He provides insight into his acting process, how he held his own in a scene with Dame Maggie Smith, captured the essence of JFK for Killing Kennedy and conceived the character he played in Soderbergh's Behind the Candelabra. He also breaks down some of his post-West Wing failures like NBC's The Lyon's Den plagued by production, writing, and actress problems and CBS's Dr. Vegas, where Lowe found himself ruing his insistence on casting troubled actor Tom Sizemore. When he does travel back to earlier years he seems less invested, but paints a vivid picture of 1970's Malibu, "a bastion of laissez-faire, self-centered, malignant disregard," recalls a visit to the Playboy Mansion at age 19, and being on set for Alec Baldwin's classic speech in Glengarry Glen Ross, "one of the largest beat-downs an actor has ever delivered." On parenting, Lowe shares several amusing anecdotes, the best of which involves a camping trip and a Bigfoot costume, and he reflects on the mix of pride and sadness of sending his son off to college. Lowe's second effort is an interesting insider's perspective on what works in Hollywood and what seems to be irredeemably broken and his advice on life and relationships is well-conceived and intelligent.
Customer Reviews
Unfortunate offering.
No offense to the author, but overall this is a disappointment. Stories I Only Tell My Friends was wonderful, Love Life, not so much. All said, Rob is definitely a man who loves life - and that - unto itself makes this purchase less painful.
Not what I expected after his Stories book
Philosophical, broad, rambling. The jolt of the mimosa at the end was a quick peak and fleeting return to substance and meaning. I'm confused now. Is ego a major factor in the writing of this book or did he have something to say that just didn't connect with me? Maybe it's me. I'm happy for Rob that he loves his life.
Mediocre follow up
The first book was much better. This book spends a lot of time recounting stories with his kids, agents, etc. the first book was gripping, especially everything about making of The Outsiders. Like I said, it's ok but not great.