Matthew Perry's memoir tops Amazon's best-selling books list days after his passing

Matthew Perry’s 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" is a best seller once again, taking the No. 1 spot on Amazon's Best Sellers list a few days after his sudden passing on Saturday. It replaced Britney Spears explosive memoir "The Woman in Me," which slid to the No. 2 spot.

The book, which was an instant hit, opened up about life behind the scenes of "Friends," chronicling the actor's battle with alcohol and drugs. Perry wrote with candor and compassion and showed his dedication to continue fighting a near-fatal battle.

"There is light in the darkness," Perry wrote in the prologue. "You just have to look hard enough to find it."

Throughout the book, Perry details an array of health complications stemming from his substance use, including alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction and pancreatitis at age 30. But one of the most eye-opening experiences in his journey was when he nearly died at age 49 after his colon exploded from opioid use. As a result, the actor was in a coma, on life support, for two weeks. What followed was five months in the hospital and nine more with a colostomy bag – a traumatic experience that ultimately "miraculously remove(d) my desire to take drugs."

In fall of last year, Perry said he was 18 months sober. He said he was grateful to be alive and to finally share his story – with concerned "Friends" fans and addicts who face stigma and judgment.

"In the end, admitting defeat was winning," he wrote. "Addiction, the big terrible thing, is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down."

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Death and tributes

Perry, who was best known for playing sarcastic, wisecracking Chandler Bing on NBC's smash hit comedy "Friends," was found dead Saturday in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home, according to TMZ, the first to report the news. He was 54.

Nicholas Prange, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman, confirmed the death, saying city firefighters responded "to find an adult male unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi. A rapid medical assessment, sadly, revealed the man was deceased prior to first responder arrival. The circumstances are under investigation by LAPD and the LA County Medical Examiner."

Perry's sudden death left his millions of fans and family heartbroken. While fans lined up outside his home in Los Angeles and the Friends apartment in New York to pay their tributes, Perry's "Friends" family broke their silence on Monday to share their grief.

Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc released a joint statement paying tribute to their friend and co-star, which read: "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.

"There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able," their statement continued. "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

Contributing: Bryan Alexander, Gary Levin, Jenna Ryu and Laura Trujillo

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Perry's memoir No. 1 book on Amazon days after actor's death