Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: a painful and gritty memoir with humor, wit and stark realism

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry is a painful and gritty memoir. The opening line: “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead” says it all. The riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry from his childhood and his dream of fame, to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. A story of a young boy being shuffled from his mother’s in Montreal to his father’s in Los Angeles. A story of a fourteen year old nationally ranked tennis star in Canada. A story of a twenty four year old who would land the role of a lifetime and the fame he always dreamt of. To the outside world, Matthew Perry had it all. However, hidden behind the smile and wise cracking jokester was a man who was lonely, feeling unworthy of love and in a dark battle of addiction to drugs and alcohol. Matthew Perry’s journey to sobriety is filled with his trademark humor and a stark realism that many have never seen and he takes readers on this journey with frankness, self-awareness and extreme vulnerability. 

Many who know me know that I love Friends. It is my comfort show. A show I watch when I want to laugh and to relax. My favorite character has always been Chandler Bing. The vulnerable man who uses humor to hide his fears, insecurities and loneliness. Matthew Perry has been one of my favorite actors for years and his death in 2023 hit me hard. When he released this memoir, I was torn about reading it. I wanted to read it and yet, I was afraid. Recently, I got the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. I usually don’t listen to audiobooks; but there is something about this book and listening to Matthew Perry narrating it. It was difficult to listen to. It is deeply intimate and eye-opening. I was in tears, knowing he had come so far, so filled with hope and yet he is gone from this world. His voice reminds me of someone else I know who battled with addiction and it added to the pain of his story. He intended his memoir to help those who struggle with sobriety and I pray that it does. I highly recommend Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. 

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing 

is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

 

Moment in Time: one night can change the course of one's life and friendships

Moment in Time by Suzanne Redfearn is a follow-up to In An Instant (2020). It’s been eight years since the tragic events which changed Maureen “Mo” Kaminski and Chloe Miller’s lives. Now in their mid-twenties, they share an apartment in San Francisco with their roommate, Hazel. Life seems to be relatively normal as they both work through the challenges of adulthood and career. Suddenly, one night when Hazel ends up in the hospital after being raped, their lives are again turned upside down. When the suspected perpetrator turns up drugged and beaten and Hazel has disappeared, the mystery of what happened that night becomes the forefront of their lives. Mo and Chloe are desperate to find out what happened to their friend and bring her home. Despite being familiar with tragedy, Mo and Chloe will find themselves tested personally as well as their friendship. Will their commitment to their friend, finding the truth and seeking justice bring them closer together? Will they be driven apart for good? 

I read In An Instant a couple years ago and loved it. When Moment in Time was suggested for me, I grabbed it and couldn’t wait to read it. Unfortunately, something felt off about the story. I’m not sure what it was but I was bored and confused. While the subject matter needs to be taken seriously, I found myself not caring about Mo and Chloe as they searched for their friend and discovered what happened that night. At one point, one of the characters decides to get revenge on a cop for not taking the rape report seriously and then is shocked when she is arrested for it. Seriously?!?!? There were also too many plot holes and inconsistencies that just didn’t add up. Moment in Time just doesn’t have the same emotional impact that In An Instant did. It wasn’t as gripping and emotional as I expected. Overall, I did not enjoy Moment in Time. Despite my enjoyment and recommendation for In An Instant, I cannot recommend Moment in Time. 

Moment in Time is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Firekeeper's Daughter: a haunting story about being true to yourself when you are caught between two worlds

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angelina Boulley is a story of personal identity, communal identity and finding your place in a world that doesn’t quite fit you. As someone caught between two worlds, eighteen year old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in. Not in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start in college but when family tragedy strikes, she must alter her plans in order to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting the new charming recruit, Jamie, on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Soon she realizes that there is more to Jamie than he’s telling. When Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, she realizes that Jamie has been lying to her and she is thrusted into an FBI drug investigation. She reluctantly goes undercover, using her knowledge of chemistry and the Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source of the drugs. As Daunis searches for the truth, secrets and old scars are exposed leaving her to fight her own demons. She is fully tested and learns what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and protect her community even if it tears apart the only world she has ever known. 

Firekeeper’s Daughter first caught my attention with it’s beautiful cover. The story synopsis piqued my interest. After I received a copy of Firekeeper’s Daughter for Christmas, I started reading and I discovered that it was a book to be read slowly. It was not a book to breeze through. It is a powerful and beautiful story that is complex and deeply moving. It is a book that is honest about history and current struggles without really pointing fingers. Simply stating facts and issues. Ms. Boulley presents the issues facing the modern Ojibwe communities including alcohol and drugs but also identity. What does it mean to be a member of the community as well who do you allow to be members of the community? I loved the character Daunis. She is feisty and ready to fight for herself and those she loves. But she is also a deeply wounded girl on the verge of womanhood in a very adult and complicated world. I also enjoyed the glimpse into the Ojibwe culture and people. There were many great quotes that I wrote down and will remember long after I have finished. It is a book I would definitely read again. I highly recommend Firekeeper’s Daughter. 

Firekeeper’s Daughter is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook.

The Things We Knew: one family's healing begins

The Things We Knew by Catherine West is a story about one family’s healing after their mother’s tragic death and the secret which sent them running from their home. Except one stay behind. Lynette Carlisle is 24 years old and lives in her childhood home with her father, Drake, on Nantucket. Her childhood crush, Nick Cooper, had returned home after leaving suddenly 5 years before. Lynette soon realizes that her father’s failing health and the home’s deterioration is too much to bear and she reaches out to her siblings for help.  Soon her older brothers and older sister, reluctantly come home and they realize that they are all hiding secrets, past and present. Together, with a plan to turn their home around, the siblings begin to heal from the past until Lynette begins to remember the night her mother died. Soon the siblings are confronted with the past in ways they never thought they would have to face.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Things We Knew as it dealt with domestic violence, drugs, and marital issues in an honest and open matter. Things were not glossed over and sugar coasted. The story was filled with twists and turns which left you hooked until the final chapter. I even loved the ending as the family isn’t completely healed but definitely on its way. I recommend The Things We Knew.

The Things We Knew

is available at

major booksellers