
Last Night at the Viper Room
River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.79
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Luke Daniels
-
By:
-
Gavin Edwards
About this listen
Hollywood was built on beautiful and complicated matinee idols: James Dean and Marlon Brando are classic examples, but in the 1990s, the actor who embodied that archetype was River Phoenix. As the brightly colored 1980s wound down, a new crew of leading men began to appear on movie screens. Hailed for their acting prowess and admired for choosing meaty roles, actors such as Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, Keanu Reeves, and Brad Pitt were soon rocketing toward stardom while an unknown Leonardo DiCaprio prepared to make his acting debut. River Phoenix, however, stood in front of the pack. Blessed with natural talent and fueled by integrity, Phoenix was admired by his peers and adored by his fans. More than just a pinup on teenage girls' walls, Phoenix was also a fervent defender of the environment and a vocal proponent of a vegan lifestyle—well on his way to becoming a symbol of his generation. At age 18, he received his first Oscar nomination. But behind his beautiful public face, there was a young man who had been raised in a cult by nonconformist parents, who was burdened with supporting his family from a young age, and who eventually succumbed to addiction, escaping into a maelstrom of drink and drugs.
And then he was gone. After a dozen films, including Stand by Me and My Own Private Idaho, and with a seeminily limitless future, River Phoenix died of a drug overdose. He was 23 years old.
In Last Night at the Viper Room, best-selling author and journalist Gavin Edwards toggles between the tragic events at the Viper Room in West Hollywood on Halloween 1993 and the story of an extraordinary life. Last Night at the Viper Room is part biography, part cultural history of the 1990s, and part celebration of River Phoenix, a Hollywood icon gone too soon. Full of interviews from his fellow actors, directors, friends, and family, Last Night at the Viper Room shows the role he played in creating the place of the actor in our modern culture and the impact his work still makes today.
©2013 Gavin Edwards (P)2013 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
-
Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
-
-
Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
-
Dirty Rocker Boys
- By: Bobbie Brown
- Narrated by: Bobbie Brown
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who could forget the sexy "Cherry Pie" girl from hair metal band Warrant's infamous music video? Bobbie Brown became a bona fide vixen for her playful role as the object of lead singer Jani Lane's desires. With her windblown peroxide mane, seductive scarlet lips, and flirtatious curves, she epitomized every man's fantasy. But the wide-eyed Louisiana beauty queen's own dreams of making it big in Los Angeles were about to be derailed by her rock-and-roll lifestyle.
-
-
LOVED IT!
- By Kelleefornia on 09-02-14
By: Bobbie Brown
-
If You Would Have Told Me
- A Memoir
- By: John Stamos
- Narrated by: John Stamos
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you would have told a young John Stamos flipping burgers at his dad’s fast-food joint that one day he’d be a household name and that, at the height of his success, he’d be living alone, divorced, with no kids, high on a cocktail of forgetting, he might’ve asked, “You want fries with that?”
-
-
Don't expect Uncle Jesse's autobiography...
- By Song4Ten on 10-24-23
By: John Stamos
-
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
- A Memoir
- By: Matthew Perry
- Narrated by: Matthew Perry
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence. In an extraordinary story that only he could tell, Matthew Perry takes listeners onto the soundstage of the most successful sitcom of all time while opening up about his private struggles with addiction. Candid, self-aware, and told with his trademark humor, Perry vividly details his lifelong battle with the disease and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
-
-
Mad at myself for getting sucked in
- By betty on 11-03-22
By: Matthew Perry
-
The Woman in Me
- By: Britney Spears
- Narrated by: Michelle Williams, Britney Spears - introduction
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
-
-
Lack of transparency
- By Lori K on 10-31-23
By: Britney Spears
-
High on Arrival
- A Memoir
- By: Mackenzie Phillips
- Narrated by: Mackenzie Phillips
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not long before her 50birthday, Mackenzie Phillips walked into Los Angeles International Airport. She was on her way to a reunion of One Day at a Time, the hugely popular 70s sitcom on which she once starred as the loveable rebel Julie Cooper. Within minutes, Mackenzie was in handcuffs, arrested for possession of cocaine and heroin. But the star who turned up High on Arrival has finally come back down to earth - to stay.
-
-
Raw and Honest
- By Missye on 10-11-09
-
Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
-
-
Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
-
Dirty Rocker Boys
- By: Bobbie Brown
- Narrated by: Bobbie Brown
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who could forget the sexy "Cherry Pie" girl from hair metal band Warrant's infamous music video? Bobbie Brown became a bona fide vixen for her playful role as the object of lead singer Jani Lane's desires. With her windblown peroxide mane, seductive scarlet lips, and flirtatious curves, she epitomized every man's fantasy. But the wide-eyed Louisiana beauty queen's own dreams of making it big in Los Angeles were about to be derailed by her rock-and-roll lifestyle.
-
-
LOVED IT!
- By Kelleefornia on 09-02-14
By: Bobbie Brown
-
If You Would Have Told Me
- A Memoir
- By: John Stamos
- Narrated by: John Stamos
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you would have told a young John Stamos flipping burgers at his dad’s fast-food joint that one day he’d be a household name and that, at the height of his success, he’d be living alone, divorced, with no kids, high on a cocktail of forgetting, he might’ve asked, “You want fries with that?”
-
-
Don't expect Uncle Jesse's autobiography...
- By Song4Ten on 10-24-23
By: John Stamos
-
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
- A Memoir
- By: Matthew Perry
- Narrated by: Matthew Perry
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence. In an extraordinary story that only he could tell, Matthew Perry takes listeners onto the soundstage of the most successful sitcom of all time while opening up about his private struggles with addiction. Candid, self-aware, and told with his trademark humor, Perry vividly details his lifelong battle with the disease and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.
-
-
Mad at myself for getting sucked in
- By betty on 11-03-22
By: Matthew Perry
-
The Woman in Me
- By: Britney Spears
- Narrated by: Michelle Williams, Britney Spears - introduction
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
-
-
Lack of transparency
- By Lori K on 10-31-23
By: Britney Spears
-
High on Arrival
- A Memoir
- By: Mackenzie Phillips
- Narrated by: Mackenzie Phillips
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not long before her 50birthday, Mackenzie Phillips walked into Los Angeles International Airport. She was on her way to a reunion of One Day at a Time, the hugely popular 70s sitcom on which she once starred as the loveable rebel Julie Cooper. Within minutes, Mackenzie was in handcuffs, arrested for possession of cocaine and heroin. But the star who turned up High on Arrival has finally come back down to earth - to stay.
-
-
Raw and Honest
- By Missye on 10-11-09
-
Inside Out
- A Memoir
- By: Demi Moore
- Narrated by: Demi Moore
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight - or the headlines. Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years - all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception.
-
-
I loved this Memoir
- By mrsbee19 on 09-25-19
By: Demi Moore
-
Robert Downey, Jr.
- The Biography
- By: Martin Howden
- Narrated by: Philip Ormond
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Find out about his film debut at age five playing a puppy in one of his father's cult underground films, his attempt at becoming a comedian during his ill-fated stint on comedy show Saturday Night Live, how he burst onto the scene with his moving performance in Less than Zero and how he charmed Hollywood with his Oscar nominated turn as troubled funny man Charlie Chaplin.
-
-
You are never down and out unless you think you are
- By Craig on 11-10-15
By: Martin Howden
-
Brat
- An '80s Story
- By: Andrew McCarthy
- Narrated by: Andrew McCarthy
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people know Andrew McCarthy from his movie roles in Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Weekend at Bernie's, and Less Than Zero, and as a charter member of Hollywood's Brat Pack. That iconic group of ingenues and heartthrobs has come to represent both a genre of film and an era of pop culture. In his memoir, McCarthy focuses his gaze on that singular moment in time. The result is a revealing look at coming of age in a maelstrom, reckoning with conflicted ambition, innocence, addiction, and masculinity.
-
-
Short and jumpy, like his career
- By Wendi on 05-22-21
By: Andrew McCarthy
-
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
- An Autobiography
- By: Rob Lowe
- Narrated by: Rob Lowe
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Great Book and Great Story
- By Natalie J. Belle MD on 04-30-11
By: Rob Lowe
-
Heavier than Heaven
- A Biography of Kurt Cobain
- By: Charles R. Cross
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 14 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Kurt Cobain died by his own hand in April 1994, it was an act of will that typified his short, angry, inspired life. Veteran music journalist Charles R. Cross fuses his intimate knowledge of the Seattle music scene with his deep compassion for his subject in this extraordinary story of artistic brilliance and the pain that extinguished it.
-
-
Great story - missing chapter 12
- By Mick on 02-15-07
By: Charles R. Cross
-
The Castle on Sunset
- Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since 1929, Hollywood’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his 16-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what has happened inside the Chateau’s walls has eluded the public eye - until now.
-
-
Was enjoying it until...
- By leigh on 04-22-20
By: Shawn Levy
-
Robin
- By: Dave Itzkoff
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations - all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed. But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’ comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt.
-
-
Disappointing but worth a read
- By Joe Moore on 05-18-18
By: Dave Itzkoff
-
The Las Vegas Madam
- The Escorts, the Clients, the Truth
- By: Jami Rodman
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a scandalous news story splashed across mainstream media about an elite escort agency in Las Vegas, people were shocked to learn there was a tiny mastermind behind the company: a small town girl from Oregon named Jami Rodman who went by the pseudonym Haley Heston.
-
-
Very Graphic-Performance & Backstory Kept Me From*
- By DK on 12-22-15
By: Jami Rodman
-
Scar Tissue
- By: Anthony Kiedis, Larry Sloman
- Narrated by: Rider Strong
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As lead singer and songwriter for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anthony Kiedis has lived life on the razor's edge. Much has been written about him, but until now we've only had his songs as clues to his experience from the inside. In Scar Tissue, Kiedis proves himself to be as compelling a memoirist as he is a lyricist, giving us a searingly honest account of the life from which his music has evolved.
-
-
Not A Favorite
- By The Kruels on 08-16-11
By: Anthony Kiedis, and others
-
Wildflower
- By: Drew Barrymore
- Narrated by: Drew Barrymore
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wildflower is a portrait of Drew's life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges, and incredible experiences of her earlier years. It includes tales of living on her own at 14 (and how laundry may have saved her life), getting stuck in a gas station overhang on a cross-country road trip, saying good-bye to her father in a way only he could have understood, and many more adventures and lessons that have led her to the successful, happy, and healthy place she is today.
-
-
Hold the shrieking !
- By Dawne on 11-27-15
By: Drew Barrymore
-
Love Life
- By: Rob Lowe
- Narrated by: Rob Lowe
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love Life serves up another delicious selection of intimate stories and observations from Rob Lowe's life, told with humor, warmth, and brutal honesty. After writing his acclaimed debut effort, Lowe felt he had more stories to share and many more friends to introduce. The result is a touching memoir about the business and craft of acting, the pitfalls of success, family, love, and much more.
-
-
Open, Honest, Sentimental... not quite as Intimate
- By Kelly on 01-07-16
By: Rob Lowe
-
Dear Jacob
- By: Patty Wetterling, Joy Baker - contributor
- Narrated by: Rebecca Stern
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On October 22, 1989, in the small town of St. Joseph, Minnesota, eleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped at gunpoint. Twenty-seven years later, Danny Heinrich led authorities to the boy’s remains. What lies between is the riveting story of the search for Jacob, told by his mother, Patty. With down-to-earth candor, she details the investigation as it unfolds, discusses her family’s struggles, and shows how she maintained her energy and optimism.
-
-
Beautifully written.
- By Christine on 11-04-23
By: Patty Wetterling, and others
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
-
-
Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
-
Can I Say
- Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums
- By: Travis Barker, Gavin Edwards - contributor
- Narrated by: Cary Hite
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Travis Barker's soul-baring memoir chronicles the highlights and lowlights of the renowned drummer's art and his life, including the harrowing plane crash that nearly killed him and his traumatic road to recovery. After breaking out as the acclaimed drummer of the multiplatinum punk band Blink-182, everything changed for Travis Barker. But the dark side of rock stardom took its toll: His marriage, chronicled for an MTV reality show, fell apart. Constant touring concealed a serious drug addiction. A reckoning did not truly come until he was forced to face mortality.
-
-
The narration was painful at best. It's KILLING me
- By Zen on 02-21-17
By: Travis Barker, and others
-
Playground
- A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion
- By: Jennifer Saginor
- Narrated by: Kassidy Cortese
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the vein of Running with Scissors, Playground is the glitzy, glamorous, and surreal true story of a young girl who grew up inside the Playboy Mansion and never learned where the party stopped and the real world began. You are six years old. Every day after school your father takes you to a sprawling castle filled with exotic animals, bowls of candy, and half-naked women catering to your every need. You have your own room. You have new friends. You have an uncle Hef who's always there for you.
-
-
Missing Mom
- By Stephanie on 09-14-24
By: Jennifer Saginor
-
Love Life
- By: Rob Lowe
- Narrated by: Rob Lowe
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love Life serves up another delicious selection of intimate stories and observations from Rob Lowe's life, told with humor, warmth, and brutal honesty. After writing his acclaimed debut effort, Lowe felt he had more stories to share and many more friends to introduce. The result is a touching memoir about the business and craft of acting, the pitfalls of success, family, love, and much more.
-
-
Open, Honest, Sentimental... not quite as Intimate
- By Kelly on 01-07-16
By: Rob Lowe
-
Robert Downey, Jr.
- The Biography
- By: Martin Howden
- Narrated by: Philip Ormond
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Find out about his film debut at age five playing a puppy in one of his father's cult underground films, his attempt at becoming a comedian during his ill-fated stint on comedy show Saturday Night Live, how he burst onto the scene with his moving performance in Less than Zero and how he charmed Hollywood with his Oscar nominated turn as troubled funny man Charlie Chaplin.
-
-
You are never down and out unless you think you are
- By Craig on 11-10-15
By: Martin Howden
-
Whore of New York
- A Confession
- By: Liara Roux
- Narrated by: Liara Roux
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Liara Roux is accustomed to being mislabeled and misunderstood. As a child, Liara’s inquisitive, instinctive, and rebellious nature was frequently problematized, in a world designed around the requirements of their neurotypical, cis, heterosexual male colleagues. Coming of age in an oppressively restrictive home, they shuffled tarot and explored self portraiture to rationalize the injustice of chronic pain, toxic lovers, and the cruel silence of divinity.
-
-
Great story
- By Anonymous User on 05-22-24
By: Liara Roux
-
Coreyography
- By: Corey Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey Feldman
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this brave and moving memoir, Corey Feldman is revealing the truth about what his life was like behind the scenes: His is a past that included physical, drug, and sexual abuse, a dysfunctional family from which he was emancipated at age fifteen, three high-profile arrests for drug possession, a nine-month stint in rehab, and a long, slow crawl back to the top of the box office.
-
-
Didn't like the Two Coreys, but liked this.
- By ricketsj on 04-29-14
By: Corey Feldman
-
Can I Say
- Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums
- By: Travis Barker, Gavin Edwards - contributor
- Narrated by: Cary Hite
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Travis Barker's soul-baring memoir chronicles the highlights and lowlights of the renowned drummer's art and his life, including the harrowing plane crash that nearly killed him and his traumatic road to recovery. After breaking out as the acclaimed drummer of the multiplatinum punk band Blink-182, everything changed for Travis Barker. But the dark side of rock stardom took its toll: His marriage, chronicled for an MTV reality show, fell apart. Constant touring concealed a serious drug addiction. A reckoning did not truly come until he was forced to face mortality.
-
-
The narration was painful at best. It's KILLING me
- By Zen on 02-21-17
By: Travis Barker, and others
-
Playground
- A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion
- By: Jennifer Saginor
- Narrated by: Kassidy Cortese
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the vein of Running with Scissors, Playground is the glitzy, glamorous, and surreal true story of a young girl who grew up inside the Playboy Mansion and never learned where the party stopped and the real world began. You are six years old. Every day after school your father takes you to a sprawling castle filled with exotic animals, bowls of candy, and half-naked women catering to your every need. You have your own room. You have new friends. You have an uncle Hef who's always there for you.
-
-
Missing Mom
- By Stephanie on 09-14-24
By: Jennifer Saginor
-
Love Life
- By: Rob Lowe
- Narrated by: Rob Lowe
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love Life serves up another delicious selection of intimate stories and observations from Rob Lowe's life, told with humor, warmth, and brutal honesty. After writing his acclaimed debut effort, Lowe felt he had more stories to share and many more friends to introduce. The result is a touching memoir about the business and craft of acting, the pitfalls of success, family, love, and much more.
-
-
Open, Honest, Sentimental... not quite as Intimate
- By Kelly on 01-07-16
By: Rob Lowe
-
Robert Downey, Jr.
- The Biography
- By: Martin Howden
- Narrated by: Philip Ormond
- Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Find out about his film debut at age five playing a puppy in one of his father's cult underground films, his attempt at becoming a comedian during his ill-fated stint on comedy show Saturday Night Live, how he burst onto the scene with his moving performance in Less than Zero and how he charmed Hollywood with his Oscar nominated turn as troubled funny man Charlie Chaplin.
-
-
You are never down and out unless you think you are
- By Craig on 11-10-15
By: Martin Howden
-
Whore of New York
- A Confession
- By: Liara Roux
- Narrated by: Liara Roux
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Liara Roux is accustomed to being mislabeled and misunderstood. As a child, Liara’s inquisitive, instinctive, and rebellious nature was frequently problematized, in a world designed around the requirements of their neurotypical, cis, heterosexual male colleagues. Coming of age in an oppressively restrictive home, they shuffled tarot and explored self portraiture to rationalize the injustice of chronic pain, toxic lovers, and the cruel silence of divinity.
-
-
Great story
- By Anonymous User on 05-22-24
By: Liara Roux
-
A Little Thing Called Life
- On Loving Elvis Presley, Bruce Jenner, and Songs in Between
- By: Linda Thompson
- Narrated by: Linda Thompson
- Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Award-winning songwriter Linda Thompson breaks her silence, sharing the extraordinary story of her life, career, and epic romances with two of the most celebrated yet enigmatic modern American superstars - Elvis Presley and Bruce Jenner.
-
-
Yuck!
- By Joyce A. Brannon on 09-06-16
By: Linda Thompson
-
High on Arrival
- A Memoir
- By: Mackenzie Phillips
- Narrated by: Mackenzie Phillips
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not long before her 50birthday, Mackenzie Phillips walked into Los Angeles International Airport. She was on her way to a reunion of One Day at a Time, the hugely popular 70s sitcom on which she once starred as the loveable rebel Julie Cooper. Within minutes, Mackenzie was in handcuffs, arrested for possession of cocaine and heroin. But the star who turned up High on Arrival has finally come back down to earth - to stay.
-
-
Raw and Honest
- By Missye on 10-11-09
-
Dirty Rocker Boys
- By: Bobbie Brown
- Narrated by: Bobbie Brown
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who could forget the sexy "Cherry Pie" girl from hair metal band Warrant's infamous music video? Bobbie Brown became a bona fide vixen for her playful role as the object of lead singer Jani Lane's desires. With her windblown peroxide mane, seductive scarlet lips, and flirtatious curves, she epitomized every man's fantasy. But the wide-eyed Louisiana beauty queen's own dreams of making it big in Los Angeles were about to be derailed by her rock-and-roll lifestyle.
-
-
LOVED IT!
- By Kelleefornia on 09-02-14
By: Bobbie Brown
-
A Paper Life
- By: Tatum O'Neal
- Narrated by: Tatum O'Neal
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Though she has shunned the media spotlight, Academy Award-winning actress Tatum O'Neal at last goes on the record to tell her story - a tale of personal turmoil and ultimate triumph that is part Hollywood tell-all, part Greek tragedy, and part Shakespearean drama.
-
-
POORLY WRITTEN INDISTINGUISHABLE BOOK
- By Tony in OKC on 06-12-18
By: Tatum O'Neal
-
Robin
- By: Dave Itzkoff
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations - all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed. But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’ comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt.
-
-
Disappointing but worth a read
- By Joe Moore on 05-18-18
By: Dave Itzkoff
-
There Is No F--king Secret
- Letters from a Badass Bitch
- By: Kelly Osbourne
- Narrated by: Kelly Osbourne
- Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People ask Kelly Osbourne all the time: "What's your secret?" Kelly Osbourne may not always have been a typical role model, but no one can say that her perspective isn't hard won after spending three decades in the spotlight. Told as a series of letters to various people and places in her life, There Is No F --king Secret gives listeners an intimate look at the stories and influences that have shaped Osbourne's highly speculated-about life, for better or for worse.
-
-
No secrets?
- By Kass on 04-30-17
By: Kelly Osbourne
-
Say Everything
- A Memoir
- By: Ione Skye
- Narrated by: Ione Skye
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gen X icon Ione Skye bares all in an achingly vulnerable coming-of-age memoir about chasing fame, desire, and true love in the shadow of her famous, absent father.
-
-
Wow
- By santos on 03-11-25
By: Ione Skye
-
Down the Drain
- By: Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Julia Fox
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Julia Fox is famous for many things: her captivating acting, such as her breakout role in the film Uncut Gems; her trendsetting style, including bleached eyebrows, exaggerated eyeshadow, and cutout dresses; her mastery of social media, where she entertains and educates her millions of followers. But all these share the trait for which she is most famous: unabashedly and unapologetically being herself. This commitment to authenticity has never been more on display than in Down the Drain. With writing that is both eloquent and accessible, Fox recounts her turbulent path to cultural supremacy.
-
-
Zero Character Growth.
- By Alisa on 11-27-23
By: Julia Fox
-
Yes Please
- By: Amy Poehler
- Narrated by: Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett, Seth Meyers, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Amy Poehler is hosting a dinner party and you're invited! Welcome to the audiobook edition of Amy Poehler's Yes Please. The guest list is star-studded with vocal appearances from Carol Burnett, Seth Meyers, Michael Schur, Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, and even Amy’s parents - Yes Please is the ultimate audiobook extravaganza.
-
-
Listen to this book for sure
- By S.F. on 10-31-14
By: Amy Poehler
-
Mister Magic
- A Novel
- By: Kiersten White
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Kiersten White
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
-
-
pleasantly surprised
- By Garland on 04-02-24
By: Kiersten White
-
Strange Beasts
- By: Susan J. Morris
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the dawn of the twentieth century in Paris, Samantha Harker, daughter of Dracula's killer, works as a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. But no one realizes how abnormal she is. Sam is a channel into the minds of monsters: a power that could help her solve the gruesome deaths plaguing turn-of-the-century Paris—or have her thrown into an asylum.
-
-
SO GOOD💗
- By Lababybendecida on 10-28-24
By: Susan J. Morris
-
Inside Out
- A Memoir
- By: Demi Moore
- Narrated by: Demi Moore
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight - or the headlines. Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years - all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception.
-
-
I loved this Memoir
- By mrsbee19 on 09-25-19
By: Demi Moore
What listeners say about Last Night at the Viper Room
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 11-25-23
Sometimes it’s the voice
I enjoyed this books; the story. I did not, however, enjoy the voice of the narrator.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Makayla
- 06-11-15
I cried...
I feel like I know River so much more than I did. I loved it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- David Ortmann
- 06-19-22
Yes! Powerful and inclusive
There will simply never be anyone like him, ever again. River Phoenix and I sort of grew up together as we are very close in ageThis well researched, beautifully narrated book shows us the light and shadow side of one of the most extraordinary actors of the 20th century. Most of all, it does so with a certain respect and tenderness, even when discussing the harder edges of the film industry and those in R’s life. Not sensationalized a bit, well crafting, intertwining stories Blend seamlessly and entertainingly together leaving a beautiful and authentic book in honor of a beautiful and authentic soul.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rachel
- 10-24-13
Oddly frustrating listen
Any additional comments?
I feel like there were two researchers at work here, or at least an author with an unclear goal. The historical information, setting the Phoenix family's travels in the context of greater social changes within the US was really interesting and whether intentionally or not made the family a metaphor for the larger societal changes. For me, where the book fell down was the constant name checking of the famous. Yes, these are the people River Phoenix hung around with, but it added nothing more than a tabloid gloss. I felt like this book could have been something more, and maybe peered into why so many young people in Hollywood are from troubled backgrounds, and why nothing is done to stop their obvious decline. Or had some focus other than reciting the names of the famous young of the 90s. Instead it felt like it recited headlines from a magazine.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shelby
- 05-05-15
Thank you
My eyes are open and my mind is changed. I can't thank you enough. I am so happy to have you audible. This book changed me for the better.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ricketsj
- 05-07-14
Fascinating and sad.
I can vividly recall the meteoric rise of River Phoenix as a different kind of teen icon. After Stand By Me, there was no one my age who did not at least subconsciously know what River Phoenix was doing and what movies he was appearing in. Unlike others in Hollywood who embodied the 80's zeitgeist of selfishness and excess, River Phoenix was promoting animal rights and making quirky choices (mostly) in his film choices that steered many of his fans to see thought-provoking films that they might never have considered if he had not been in them.
This book provides a pretty complete picture of River Phoenix's family, from their transition between hippie nomads to Children of God cult members to unlikely Hollywood royalty. What was particularly amazing about this was how the unconventional worldview and the naive way they looked at River's acting career was tolerated by Hollywood, illustrating that it may not be as necessary as many stage parents seem to think to sacrifice your child's well being to the gods of fame in order to accomplish stardom. However admirable the Phoenix parents' commitment to their ideals may be, it becomes pretty clear that they unfairly placed the burden of providing for the family on the children and especially on River. You can see the adolescent River coming to terms with hypocrisy in them, as well as chafing (however mildly) under the burden at times.
More than anything, this story really makes me wonder what sort of man and what sort of actor River Phoenix might have been if he had not died. Phoenix was not any more of a drug abuser than his contemporaries, he was just unlucky enough that he never got a chance to make the decision to leave drugs behind. It becomes obvious that this is the main difference between River and other stars like Anthony Kiedis, Johnny Depp, Corey Feldman, etc.: they got lucky and River did not.
I have read some reviews that were negative about the narrator'a performance or the author's inclusion of so many perspectives from famous contemporaries of River. I disagree. I thought that 1) the narrator did a fairly amazing job of mimicking the voices of River's famous contemporaries, which was very entertaining, and 2) it would have been impossible to actually capture the times without including all these famous people River knew and how he affected them.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Wendy E Ethridge
- 06-01-23
I liked the Narration and the Story
I really appreciated the Narration by Luke Daniels. His speaking voice was very easy to listen to and he gave the impression that he was helping me be a fly on the wall when he would add the affect or cadence of one well known voice or another when they were being quoted. It did get quite quiet for some of the voices and was a big change when he came back in with his regular voice. Not a big issue for me and my speakers and I adjusted quickly.
The story was interesting and telling what the other young and upcoming actors were doing at the same time the Phoenix’s lives were changing was a good touchstone for me. I was one of those girls with the posters of River on my wall growing up. He did so much in such a short time and I love hearing how he cared for and looked after his family. And I hope all those close to him are doing well…. Thank you for sharing him with us and for this book to be a good timeline of his work and some of his passions.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cate
- 10-28-13
Story A, Gossip B+, Performance/Story Cohesion D+
On the plus side, River Phoenix's life story is fascinating, from his extremely unique childhood to his development on movie sets and his young adult life. Also has some fun Hollywood gossip, as it draws quite a bit of the story from quotes from celebs like Johnny Depp, Ethan Hawke, and Martha Plimpton (who was his girlfriend for a few years).
On the negative side, there are some major issues.
1) Bad Narration: the narrator sounds too old and proper when he's reading the 3rd person narration but at least it's clear. All quotes, and there are a LOT, sound terrible. He makes almost every character sound the same way: creepy. Worse, the quotes are significantly quieter than the regular narration. I had to rewind many times because I couldn't make out what had been said, even when I had the volume up high. This was very frustrating.
2) Lack of Coherent Storyline. The fact that the story bounces between the Viper Room and River's life story isn't the problem. The author seems to have bit off more than he could chew in trying to also provide back stories for certain other people, like Johnny Depp. Other times, he will just namecheck a bunch of people at once and move on. He will also approach something that feels important and not dig in further for the real story, maybe out of respect for Phoenix's memory. So there will be a description of some odd behavior Phoenix exhibited where you expect to hear more. Instead you get a non-sequitur about how sweet everyone always thought Phoenix was, and the story moves on. It feels more like the author compiled quotes found elsewhere than that he actually interviewed these people and was able to ask questions.
Overall, a life story like this one is so interesting it ultimately is worth the experience despite the negatives, but I think the credit goes to the man's life, not to this telling of it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- sarah
- 01-22-14
Interesting snapshot of history
Where does Last Night at the Viper Room rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I don't agree with some of the negative reviews around this; I thought the context around young Hollywood at the time was interesting and gave context for Phoenix's life, a sense of comparison about where Phoenix may have ended up had he lived. Didn't find the narration irritating. This book is definitely worth a listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- P. Parker
- 09-21-21
Not the best biography.
I listened to this on Audible. I didn't care for the way the narrator talked so much quieter when he was narrating quotes of people. I also didn't really like how the author talked so much more about other actors and their movies.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!