Audiobook Review: Love Life – Rob Lowe
Author: Rob Lowe
ISBN: 9781442367333 (audio)
Pages: 272 / 7 hours and 28 minutes (audio)
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
In this second memoir, actor Rob Lowe muses on such varied topics as his childhood, his family, and his experiences as a successful Hollywood actor.
Snapshot Review:
An honest, candid series of personal essays, Love Life is funny, moving, and sharply written. The audio production, narrated by the Lowe, is absolutely the way to go when reading this terrific memoir.
Full Review:
I’m not much of a celebrity memoir person. I don’t necessarily run the other way screaming when I see one, but there are very few celebrity memoirs I’ll actually pick up and read. Unless I really love someone’s body of work, I’m not really interested in reading these books, and besides, they always seem to have a sanitized feel that glosses over any real controversy.
Enter Rob Lowe’s memoirs. I’ve been a big fan of Rob Lowe’s for a long time, so I was interested in his first memoir, Stories I Only Tell My Friends. I was surprised to find myself blown away by it; his candor, wit, and insight were really incredible, not to mention he’s an amazing writer. So, with his second memoir, Love Life, picking it up wasn’t really a question, but I did decide to read this one in audio, rather than in print.
It turned out to be the right choice; Love Life was really an incredible audiobook. Rob Lowe is an amazing narrator (understandable, given that he’s a great actor). You can hear the warmth in his voice; he conveys humor so well, but also heartbreak. The audio production runs about 7 and a half hours, and is well worth the listen.
Love Life covers many different subjects over Lowe’s life. Rather than one complete memoir, it’s a series of personal essays about his life. He speaks with love and genuine humility about his wife and sons; it’s really beautiful to listen to. The reader also gets a sense of what kind of man Lowe is. He puts his family first, always. He has no illusions about his profession, but he has a certain confidence when it comes to his abilities. He knows he’s a good actor, but he is still constantly trying to challenge and better himself. He talks about being an alcoholic, about mentors and friends, about The West Wing, but also about his son’s field trip to Sea World (quite possibly the funniest essay in the collection). What’s really remarkable about this book is how he writes about his family; despite the fact that I love Lowe’s acting and the roles he’s taken on, it was these personal narratives that really spoke to me.
Whether you’re a memoir fan or not, if you at all like Rob Lowe, then Love Life is a book you should pick up. Honestly, even if you don’t care about the actor one way or another, just listen to the essay about Lowe taking his eldest son and dropping him off at college. I dare you to try and not tear up.
Other books by Rob Lowe:
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
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