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Generation Friends
- An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era
- Narrated by: Barrett Leddy
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Friends, published for the 25th anniversary of the show's premiere. Howyoudoin’?
In September 1994, six friends sat down in their favorite coffee shop and began bantering about sex, relationships, jobs, and just about everything else. A quarter of a century later, new fans are still finding their way into the lives of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe, and thanks to the show’s immensely talented creators, its intimate understanding of its youthful audience, and its reign during network television’s last moment of dominance, Friends has become the most influential and beloved show of its era. Friends has never gone on a break, and this is the story of how it all happened.
Noted pop culture historian Saul Austerlitz utilizes exclusive interviews with creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, executive producer Kevin Bright, director James Burrows, and many other producers, writers, and cast members to tell the story of Friends’ creation, its remarkable decade-long run, and its astonishing Netflix-fueled afterlife. Listeners will learn how the show was developed and cast, written and filmed. There will be talk of trivia contests, prom videos, trips to London, Super Bowls, lesbian weddings, wildly popular hairstyles, superstar cameos, mad dashes to the airport, and million-dollar contracts. They’ll also discover surprising details - that Monica and Joey were the show’s original romantic couple, how Danielle Steel probably saved Jennifer Aniston’s career, and why Friends is still so popular that if it was a new show, its over-the-air broadcast reruns would be the ninth-highest-rated program on TV.
The show that defined the 1990s has a legacy that has endured beyond wildest expectations. And in this hilarious, informative, and entertaining audiobook, listeners will now understand why.
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Critic reviews
"Saul Austerlitz gets at the heart of [the show’s] appeal." (New York Magazine)
"[An] under-the-hood chronicle of the nineties sitcom." (The New Yorker)
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Story
She lived at full throttle on stage, screen, and in real life, with highs that made history and lows that finally brought down the curtain at age 47. Judy Garland died over 30 years ago, but no biography has so completely captured her spirit - and demons - until now. From her tumultuous early years as a child performer to her tragic last days, Gerald Clarke reveals the authentic Judy in a biography rich in new detail and unprecedented revelations.
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A good book, but...
- By Donna Deal on 08-27-21
By: Gerald Clarke
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Best. Movie. Year. Ever.
- How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen
- By: Brian Raftery
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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From a veteran culture writer and modern movie expert, a celebration and analysis of the movies of 1999 - arguably the most groundbreaking year in American cinematic history.
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Like talking about movies with a friend
- By Shawn Inmon on 05-30-19
By: Brian Raftery
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Singular Sensation
- The Triumph of Broadway
- By: Michael Riedel
- Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The 1990s was a decade of profound change on Broadway. At the dawn of the '90s, the British invasion of Broadway was in full swing, as musical spectacles like Les Miserables, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera dominated the box office. But Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard soon spelled the end of this era and ushered in a new wave of American musicals, beginning with the ascendance of an unlikely show by a struggling writer who reimagined Puccini’s opera La Bohème as the smash Broadway show Rent
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Why Didn’t Michael Riedel Read This Himself?
- By Tallulah on 01-17-22
By: Michael Riedel
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Baby, Don't Hurt Me
- Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live
- By: Chris Kattan
- Narrated by: Chris Kattan
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Chris Kattan has defied comparison, expectations, and sometimes gravity with his inimitable style of physical comedy. By creating some of the most memorable Saturday Night Live characters, as well as his many roles in film and television, Kattan has remained one of the most fearless and versatile comedians in the world. Now, for the first time, Kattan opens up about eight seasons on SNL, performing alongside friends and future legends including Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, and Tina Fey, and guest hosts from Charlize Theron to Tom Hanks to David Bowie.
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Funny and complex.
- By Anna Jennings on 05-15-19
By: Chris Kattan
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You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried
- The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation
- By: Susannah Gora
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The landscape that the Brat Pack memorialized is rich with cultural themes and significance, and has influenced an entire generation who still believe that life always turns out like an '80s movie. You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried takes us back to that era, through Susannah Gora's interviews with key players such as Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy, and John Cusack, and mines all the material from the movies to the music to the way the films were made to show how they helped shape our visions for romance, friendship, society, and success.
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Brings me back to my teenage years! Fantastic Narration! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- By Amazmama on 06-24-22
By: Susannah Gora
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You Might Remember Me
- The Life and Times of Phil Hartman
- By: Mike Thomas
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Both joyous tribute and serious biography, Mike Thomas' You Might Remember Me is a celebration of Phil Hartman's multi-faceted career and an exhaustively reported, warts-and-all examination of his often intriguing and sometimes complicated life - a powerful, humor-filled and disquieting portrait of a man who was loved by many, admired by millions and taken from them far too early.
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I Will Remember You Phil Hartman
- By Roxanna on 12-19-14
By: Mike Thomas
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Can I Go Now?
- The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood's First Superagent
- By: Brian Kellow
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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A lively and colorful biography of Hollywood's first superagent - one of the most outrageous showbiz characters of the 1960s and 1970s, whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Faye Dunaway, Michael Caine, and Candice Bergen. Before Sue Mengers hit the scene in the mid-1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. But staying in the background was not possible for Mengers.
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A little long.
- By Doris on 11-29-15
By: Brian Kellow
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Street Gang
- The Complete History of Sesame Street
- By: Michael Davis
- Narrated by: Caroll Spinney
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Abridged
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When the first episode aired on Nov. 10, 1969, Sesame Street revolutionized the way education was presented to children on television. It has since become the longest-running children's show in history, and today reaches 8 million pre-schoolers on 350 PBS stations and airs in 120 countries. Street Gang is the compelling and often comical story of the creation and history of this media masterpiece and pop culture landmark.
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An important subject, but hardly gripping
- By Scott T. Hards on 09-24-10
By: Michael Davis
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Homey Don't Play That!
- The Story of In Living Color and the Black Comedy Revolution
- By: David Peisner
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Few television shows revolutionized comedy as profoundly or have had such an enormous and continued impact on our culture as In Living Color. Inspired by Richard Pryor, Carol Burnett, and Eddie Murphy, Keenen Ivory Wayans created a television series unlike any that had come before it. In Living Color shaped American culture in ways both seen and unseen. Now, Homey Don't Play That! reveals the complete, captivating story of how In Living Color overcame enormous odds to become a major, zeitgeist-seizing hit.
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Wow, that sucked......
- By Just W on 10-11-18
By: David Peisner
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Pictures at a Revolution
- Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
- By: Mark Harris
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the epic human drama behind the making of the five movies nominated for Best Picture in 1967 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate, In the Heat of the Night, Doctor Dolittle, and Bonnie and Clyde - and through them, the larger story of the cultural revolution that transformed Hollywood and America forever.
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Would It Be Too Much To Ask?
- By Casey Keller on 12-31-08
By: Mark Harris
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Caddyshack
- The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story
- By: Chris Nashawaty
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Caddyshack is one of the most beloved comedies of all time, a classic snobs vs. slobs story of working-class kids and the white-collar buffoons that make them haul their golf bags in the hot summer sun. It has sex, drugs, and one very memorable candy bar, but the movie we all know and love didn't start out that way, and everyone who made it certainly didn't have the word classic in mind as the cameras were rolling.
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Not Really About Caddyshack Until Hour 5
- By William M. on 07-01-18
By: Chris Nashawaty
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Stories I Only Tell My Friends
- An Autobiography
- By: Rob Lowe
- Narrated by: Rob Lowe
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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A teen idol at 15, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at 20, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences. Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last 25 years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable.
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Great Book and Great Story
- By Natalie J. Belle MD on 04-30-11
By: Rob Lowe
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The View from the Bridge
- Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood
- By: Nicholas Meyer
- Narrated by: Nicholas Meyer
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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When Nicholas Meyer was asked to direct the troubled second Star Trek film, he was something less than a true believer. A best-selling author and successful director, he had never been a fan of the TV series. But as he began to ponder the appeal of Kirk, Spock, et al., he realized that their story was a classical nautical adventure yarn transplanted into space and - armed with that insight - set out on his mission: to revitalize Trek.
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Mostly good
- By David W Braddock on 06-07-21
By: Nicholas Meyer
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Top of the Rock
- Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV
- By: Warren Littlefield, T. R. Pearson
- Narrated by: Bob Balaban
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Warren Littlefield was the NBC President of Entertainment who oversaw the Peacock Network’s rise from also-ran to a division that generated a billion dollars in profits. In this fast-paced and exceptionally entertaining oral history, Littlefield and NBC luminaries including Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Kelsey Grammer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Julianna Marguiles, Anthony Edwards, Noah Wylie, Debra Messing, Jack Welch, Jimmy Burrows, Helen Hunt, and Dick Wolf vividly recapture the incredible era of Must See TV.
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Nostalgic Look at NBC in the 90's
- By Jill on 10-10-12
By: Warren Littlefield, and others
What listeners say about Generation Friends
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Mark D.
- 10-25-19
Interesting Perspective
My favorite part was when there was discussion about fan favorite episodes. But the beginning of the book feels lengthy with all the name dropping of individuals that many of us haven't heard of.
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- BreAnne Byrne-Shinall
- 08-16-21
Great book
Love the book! Makes me want to go watch friend all over again.
Could do with out the political opinions at the end of the book.
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- Annamaria Bosley
- 06-27-23
An enjoyable recap
As an ardent Friends fan, I loved the insights and behind the scenes portions. However, the recap / replay portions were a bit tedious to get through. While I understand the possible importance of having them in place to give flavor to the backstage descriptions, I found myself wanting to skip past them, since I pretty much have the show memorized. A great book for someone less familiar with the show who wants to understand why it is such a big deal.
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- Jeff
- 10-05-20
Seinfeldia but for FRIENDS
I really enjoyed this book and it was definitely what I was hoping it would be. A history of one of the most popular sitcoms of all time and a show that has a special place with people old enough to have grown up with it. It's hard not to compare this book to Seinfeldia and I'm happy to say that it is just as good of a read. This isn't a juicy tell-all so much as an insider history. You'll learn about the casting process, the writer's room, the actors, and much more. The author focuses mostly on what the show did well and the positive impacts it had on pop culture but doesn't shy away from the criticisms the show has endured since it aired. My chief complaint is that the Author seems almost too eager to shine a modern light on the show and judge it based on current conventions and standards. That sort of analysis is natural and expected, but it sometimes felt like the author was more worried about making sure not to disagree with certain popular movements, rather than presenting an unbiased retelling of events. For example in the chapter about the lawsuit, the book just assumes the allegations are true and spends most of the analysis talking about the negative impacts of the decision and how it contributed to the problems leading to the me-too movement. His points aren't invalid, but I would have preferred a more unbiased look at the specific allegations and responses to those allegations. I don't want to spoil the book, but even in this book there were facts that made it clear the court's ruling may have been the correct one in this specific case, even if the consequences of the decision had much broader negative impacts.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and finished it in a matter of days. The writer has a passion for the material and is skilled enough to make nonfiction as interesting for me as fiction and that's no small feet. I will definitely look to see what else the author publishes in the future.
The narrator is definitely effective. He manages to sound like he genuinely enjoys the material and finds it interesting without devolving into fanboy territory. It's strike's me as the right tone for this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Alexis
- 03-03-20
There is a mistake in Chapter 6 - Ross and Joey
There is a mistake in Chapter 6 - Ross and Joey both date Gabrielle Union's character, not Chandler and Joey...
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- Jesse McCarl
- 09-26-19
Fun For Any Fan
I pride myself on knowing a lot of Friends history and trivia, but I still had a lot to learn (and regurgitate to my own friends and family) from this book. There is a lot of recapping the show’s actual events - a waste of time given that most people reading this book could quote the described scenes backwards and forward. Most of the recaps were short enough to make me chuckle and move on. However, the “Ballad Of Ross & Rachel” segments went on way too long, often with minimal behind the scenes treats at the end. I put the audiobook at a faster speed during those parts. Still loved it and recommend.
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- Erica
- 09-26-19
A must for any friends fans!
This is a beautifully researched synopsis of everyone’s favourite show. Definitely worth a listen! The book sums up Friends history and its impact on popular culture impeccably.
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- R
- 05-23-23
A literal recap of the show
There are TOO MANY portions of this book where the author/narrator literally just reads the script.
Talking about certain lines is alright but if I wanted to hear the script, I’d watch the show over.
I expected MUCH more behind the scenes and other info that you generally hear in these type of books. Very disappointed.
There’s also a mistake in chapter 6 I believe about who dates Gabrielle Union’s character. It’s not Ross.
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- Jacqueline Keley
- 09-24-19
Some good nuggets but SEVERAL inaccuracies.
I really wanted this to be a 5 star review all the way around. There were some really good stories in this audio however there were some sizable inaccuracies that any super fan would know and to hear them is like nails on a chalkboard.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Reader
- 12-14-19
really good
just a touching and hilarious read. one of the best books I've listened to
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