My Husband's Autobiography

My husband has always had another love.  He doesn't even try to deny it.  If he walks into the room and sees Rob Lowe on the TV screen, he simply cannot keep himself from saying "Now that's one good looking guy".  The best compliment that you could give my husband would be to say that he looks just like Rob Lowe.  Truth be told, I think he does.  However, when I told our friends that the other night they burst out laughing.  I guess I'm wearing my rose colored glasses again.

Any who . . . when Rob Lowe's autobiography, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, came out, my husband reminded me daily that he hoped to get it for Father's Day.  Mind you, during our 16 year marriage, my husband has only read 2 other books that I can think of.  My kids and I got him the book, and he started reading as soon as he got the chance.  Let me tell you that if Rob Lowe ever needs a new PR guy, my husband is available.  I can't even guess how many copies of this book he has sold by telling everyone he knows about it.

I, on the other hand, have never been all that into Rob Lowe.  He's fine, and I've liked lots of movies that he has been in, but his poster was never hanging on my wall.  I started reading his autobiography with a certain degree of skepticism.  I mean really, how good could it be?  I have to say, it was that good.

Throughout the book, Rob tells stories of his growth as an actor and as a person in a way that seems both honest and believable.  He is candid, while not burning any bridges.  He drops tons of names, but when he is really bashing a person, that name is not mentioned.  I have to think that any person identified in the book will be able to read it, and still like Rob.  A love fest doesn't generally make for a good story, especially in an autobiography, but in this case, it works.  While he's not trashing anyone, Rob is providing a lot of back stories that never made the tabloids, and still mentioning the scandals that the tabloids devoured.

For me, the most surprising part about Stories I Only Tell My Friends is that Rob wrote it.  (Notice how I slipped into using his first name?)  I flipped back to the front cover more than once to confirm that no ghost writer was credited.  I am sure that he had really good editors, and I did find 2 tiny typos, but I have to say, he is a great writer.  Rob talks to the readers as though they really are his friends.

When I was just about finished reading, my husband mentioned that we should take a trip to Santa Monica and Malibu and "all the places that Rob Lowe lived".  While I am not exactly ready for The Rob Lowe Tour, I have put a hold on "About Last Night" at the library, and can't wait to see "The Outsiders" again.

Next Up:  Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.  Yes, I have delayed reading my BFB for more than half of the summer.  It's time that I got started!

Still listening to:  A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.