Runaway Train: or, The Story of My Life So Far

by Sam Kashner

In this brutally candid memoir, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts pulls no punches about the ups and downs of his career and his sometimes stormy relationship with his famous sister, Julia.

Eric Roberts grew up in Georgia, spending most of his teens away from his mother and sisters, Lisa and Julia. Instead, he stayed with his controlling father, a grifter jealous of his early success. At age 17, Eric moved to New York to pursue acting, where he worked and partied with future legends like Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, John Malkovich, Bruce Willis, and Robin Williams.

His big break came when he was cast in King of the Gypsies. Eric became one of the hottest stars of the era, starting an affair with actress Sandy Dennis, working with Bob Fosse on the critically acclaimed Star 80, and earning an Oscar nomination for Runaway Train. But for Eric, Hollywood came with a dark side—an ocean of cocaine that nearly swept him away, culminating in a car accident that almost cost him his life.

Eric is open about the seriousness of his addictions and their devastating effect on his career. He reveals the reasons behind his complicated relationship with his sister, Julia, and his daughter, Emma, a successful actress in her own right. Now, happily married to actress and casting director Eliza Roberts, who helped him confront his demons, he is revered among his peers as the ultimate actor’s actor.

Written with New York Times bestselling author, for years a Vanity Fair contributing editor, and current Air Mail writer-at-large Sam Kashner, this is a powerful memoir of a Hollywood legend.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Audiobook, Film, Media Tie In

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2024

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook read by author, Eric Roberts
I usually give a person some credit for looking back on their life and at least owning some responsibility for where they are and putting it out in the world. This guy smugly chuckling at his own not even really jokes has produced a poorly organized blame assigning and deflecting arrogant non-apology humble brag memoir of as far as I can tell a remarkably unlikable person who has no regrets at all.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Road trip audiobook! My daughter was moving out of Wisconsin, and my wife was riding along to help pack and say goodbye, so I had to pick a book we might both be interested in. It outlasted the trip so I ended up finishing the book on my own as my wife sees no point to audiobooks if you're not trapped in a car.

Eric Roberts can be very charming, but he also has a dangerous streak, usually running just under the surface but sporadically breaking through thanks to ongoing issues with substance abuse.

I was engaged when he was talking about the early part of his career and the movies I was more familiar with. But he kept me hooked even when he wandered off into the weeds talking about some of his lesser roles in the other 700+ movies and television shows he has appeared in during his very long and prolific career.

His family issues were slightly less interesting as they tended to get a bit repetitive. Abusive parents, estranged sisters, beleaguered spouses. Some problems thrust upon him, others brought upon himself by being an asshole drug addict.

There's a lot about him to dislike, but damn if his drawling voice and occasional chuckle doesn't suck you in anyway.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• I. Born Broken – 1956-1974
• II. Escape to New York – 1974-1977
• III. King of the Gypsies – 1977-1982
• IV. Lisa and "Hulie" (aka Julia)
• V. Star 80 – 1983
• VI. The Pope of Greenwich Village – 1984
• VII. Long-Ass Marriage
• VIII. No Beast So Fierce: Runaway train – 1985-1987
• IX. To Bedlam and Part Way Back: Sleep and Drugs – 1987-1994
• X. In Cold Blood: From The Specialist to Fatal Desire – 1994-2006
• XI. Works Hard for the Money – 2000-2015
• XII. Celebrity Rehab – 2011
• XIII. The Best and the Worst – 2008-2015
• XIV. The Golden Joining
• Acknowledgments
• Index

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A runaway train or a straight up rollercoaster? What a ride.
I can’t say that I personally liked the author, or have much nice things to say about his character. (Sorry to all his fans.) But I think Eric is resilient. I think he is brave to air out all his dirty laundry. I was shaking my head in disbelief as he spared us no offensive detail. I watched a man on a mission to self destruct. Fame is hard on anyone even with the most solid foundation. Growing up with an emotionally abusive father will, without fail, mess you up. Add to the unstable family beginnings with drugs, and Eric really had slim chances of ever getting in control of his derailed life. His wife Eliza, (not first, but most importantly, his last.), was his saving grace. Eric knows she was the guarding angel keeping him out of the fire. Or when he inevitably did something to catch on fire again, she would always dowse the flames. So, what could have otherwise been a tragic, irredeemable train crash, was instead a testimony to sticking together, never giving up, and understanding the best is yet to come.

[Georgette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a finished copy from my friends at Simon & Schuster; thank you! This was a breath of fresh air memoir- straight forward and unpretentious, a rarity in Hollyweird. Learned a lot about the craft and how his messed up childhood really shaped his dedication to his craft and his attitude to this day. It was also refreshing to read a story about addiction and the man who was the addict doesn't hide behind excuses. Definitely will recommend this one to cinemaphiles.

[Lady Alexandrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric Roberts is an amazing actor. When I saw him for the first time in a movie with Kim Basinger "Final Analysis" I was stunned. He was so attractive, charismatic and gorgeous, and also so super scary!

I enjoyed reading his biography, which was a total mess, but quite fitting his personality. It was obviously a collaboration not only with Sam Kashner, but also with Eric's wife Eliza, who I am sure tried to tone the narrative down.

By the way, Eric is still stoned, bless his heart, as he is happy to announce in his own book. He is lucky to be alive and loved by such an amazing woman as Eliza, his wife. I don't know how he could survive without her. He can also feel proud of his sister Julia and daughter Emma. On the pages of the book he seems genuinely hopeful and happy. I just wish he wrote more about his love of books and favourite authors.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am picky about what biographies and memoirs I choose to read. More often than not, I tend to not like the person as much after I read about their lives, warts and all. And yet, I have read more memoirs this year than before. Eric Roberts has always intrigued me as an actor. He's played many roles that are not your typical leading man mainstream roles. And he's always had me cheering for him; even when he played one of the murderers in the TV movie, "In Cold Blood." I found his portrayal chilling and heartbreaking.
True to the usual memoirs, he writes of his not so perfect childhood, abusive parents, complete adoration of his two sisters Lisa and Julia. The unusual characters you run across in the South, including distant relatives. He found himself loving theatre thanks to his father's love for the theatre, which came at a cost when he was an adult. His father's passive-aggressive, bordering on verbally abusive, language in his many letters to his son.
I usually steer clear of reviews as I don't want to give too much of a good book away. And I don't feel I need to analyze everything about writing style, what was put in, what was left out, why was it left out and why did he put that in?
Afterall, it's his life, his choice of what he wanted to share with his readers/fans. I will say that I appreciated his candor and seeing the humor in his life's path. He seems to be everything I imagined him to be watching him these many years on film.
He's complex. He's funny. He's flawed. He loves his family beyond measure. This is one memoir I'm very glad I read.
Why only 4 stars? Because I selfishly wanted more, simple as that. Thank you, Goodreads, for the copy. One of my favorites this year.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what to say. I finished it, but didn't find it compelling. Roberts has had an interesting life, and I think it's almost sad the way he managed to basically sabotage himself away from being more successful.. It's clear, if you've seen him in anything, that he is really talented. This story helps you understand why he wasn't more successful, and that he really has no one to blame but himself.

[no elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

i dunno if eric robert's memoir really has much appeal for people who DONT have a dedicated eric roberts corner in their home but I DO so IT DOES!!!! i love this guy. he comes off like a real piece of shit! i would guess it's undiagnosed or untreated mental illness that has been exacerbated by decades of addiction/self medicating with illegal drugs?? you dont rly know a celeb just cuz theyve written a tell all (tell some..) memoir but from the little glimpse we've gotten into his life (the events that were important enough for him to share, his roles, his relationships) & mentality it's easy to understand why there's familial friction in the roberts clan. his telling of the everything that lead up to a 16 year estrangement from his stepson doesnt really add up either. is he holding back, being dishonest, or does he not remember? maybe all three. maybe something else entirely, but he seems to have alienated himself from many people in his family due to his own mistreatment of them.. not rly my biz any way but he put it out there under the guise of baring his soul and i have questions that i deserve no answers to! im glad he briefly mentioned A TALKING CAT?!? & that the stalked by my dr series received its due in his life story. seems like there's years from his life that he doesnt remember too well cuz he glossed over quite a few of his 856 roles. the 90s may have been especially bad addiction years? this one isnt exactly a good celebrity memoir in a general sense but it's good cuz a. i like mentally ill shitshows and b. im basically eric roberts' #1 fan & im happy to have read it. but if yr not in the upper echelon of eric roberts standom i wouldnt be surprised if you read RUNAWAY TRAIN like jesus who the hell is this psycho asshole? well thats the star of a talking cat so honestly dont worry about it. lots of hot young eric pics anyway so haters be grateful!

[Patti Valenti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure how honest he was…but I think it was a nice attempt to explain his behavior. Bottom line though—just say no to drugs and stop making excuses.

“But still the fact remains—-you can always love a little bit more.” Eric Roberts

[Brent Ecenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Eric Roberts is a really interesting guy. He's a talented actor with a ton of baggage and is approaching the record for more prolific working actor of all time. He's been in acclaimed movies, Sharktopus, the music video for Mr. Brightside, and everything in-between. I'm glad I read his book, I flew through it and for the most part was entertained. I'm giving it three stars for a few reasons.

First, Eric has some memory issues which he comps to right away. Eric nearly died in a car crash which resulted in a brain injury. He's also a life long drug addict, who continues to use marijuana daily and depends on his wife and relatives to occasionally remind him what happened. As an unreliable narrator at times, that's tough for an autobiography.

Second, you get the opinion that a lot of work is paycheck work that doesn't mean a lot to him. I'd have LOVED to have an A/V Club Random Roles type setup where he just discusses a handful of movies he did each year and what he remembered about them. You don't really get that here. Off the top of my head, I'd say out of his 600+ movies he probably only mentions about 15 of them in this book, and if you've listened to him on any podcasts you can guess which ones those will be. I know that some of them are much more deserving of discussion but I'd have loved some more stories about acting on some of his less seen items.

Finally, Eric himself is kind of a tough guy to root for by the end of the book. He just seems like somebody intent on sabotaging himself. His wife Eliza must have her hands full managing him, as if it's any indication from the stories he shares in here Eric still clashes with directors and does not like to bend once his mind is set on something. He acknowledges his addiction but is also unwilling to do anything about it. He shares plenty of stories for why his mother and sisters are estranged from him and each on their own would be justification for it, but all of them together make you shake your head and not want to really root for the guy.

That being said, this felt very much in his voice. It's written with the assistance of another writer, but it reads much more like a transcribed interview that's been assembled from long session with him. I have a great idea of who he is as a person after reading it, which is always a goal in starting these books. If you're wanting any details related to him and Julia Roberts, it is all here; he likely mentioned all of their contact with each other since the early 90's. If you're wanting anything regarding his daughter Emma Roberts, you're out of luck as aside from discussing his breakup with her mom and how he had to ask for Emma's permission to comment on her Instagram, she's not really mentioned in any specificity. (I'm hoping she does her own memoir at some point, as a huge reader I'm guessing she will.)

I'm flying through these Hollywood autobiographies at the moment and this was another one I'm really glad I read, but much like the guy himself, it had a few problems.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a kid, my brothers loved movies. They loved to watch them over and over and mimic lines. This is how I came to know Eric Roberts in "The Pope of Greenwhich Village" and "Runaway Train." I'm not sure I understood those movies when I first watched them, but I always wanted to watch what my eldest brother watched so I could be in the know.

Now Eric Roberts is best known as Julia Roberts' brother or Emma Roberts' dad. But, I knew him first. This is definitely a dive into Roberts' rough past with his parents and his hardcore work ethic. This is the second actor's memoir I've read where they make reference about how much they have to work. I'm not sure I'm terribly sympathethic given how hard I work myself; nonetheless, not all actors get Tom Cruise type money on a given project.

Roberts' struggled with addiction throughout his life. It seems it's only recently he's stopped doing most drugs (he repeatedly reminds the reader he smokes pot).

The book is divided by years leading up to the present, but strangely the timeline is not always linear. Roberts comes off as rather arrogant and resentful, but also hardworking.

My husband got me an autographed copy of this one, so I felt I should finish it. Done!

[Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read memoirs, but this is truly excellent.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting book and great narration.

For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:

https://youtube.com/shorts/BTBxon4YUL...

Enjoy!

[Jen Stowe · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I start a book I typically finish it. This book was an anomaly for me. I didn’t finish it after about 21% of listening to it. Eric does all these voices. He kind of plays the martyr and his he's not very engaging. His laughs feel planned and the whole thing seems inauthentic. I wish I would have found it more interesting.

[A Cesspool · Rating 1 out of 5]

Narcissistic dreck.

Eric-"did I mention I’m in The Dark Knight?"-Roberts' memoir is hardly about the making of a pretty remarkable filmography, rather, someone with a highly addictive personalty struggling to tolerate a society that criminalizes & scowls at such behaviors.
It's also about his fcking father; but I'm prioritizing the many, many, narcotics & alcohol anecdotals, because I'd srsly prefer the alternate universe: drug-utopia Roberts' autobiography -- á la more concerned with commemorating his on-screen legacy (and not fixated on excusing milestone-regrets or clapping back at 24-point, bold-font tabloid headlines; Or authoring fantastic coincidences, pretexts, and extenuating circumstances that rationalize vindicate his good-standing with humanity).

I pity those who actually read this all the way through. The author barely even discusses the making of your favorite Eric Roberts performance/film, much less, the 1985 namesake of his own memoir. Here's everything Eric Roberts has to say about the making of Runaway Train:

"...it was the first time I shot up Mexican Brown."

If you're really interested in Runaway Train, then steer clear; Or check out Danny Trejo or Andrei Konchalovsky's recent autobiographies instead.
But, if you're curious about...

1. Eric Roberts' daddy (srsly, right out-of-the-gate: first two chapters)

2. Eric Roberts' regret **

3. REVISIONIST HISTORY

4. Eric Roberts' stepson

...you'll appreciate his Runaway Train.

** Eric Roberts is sorry he smacked his wife, Eliza (in the 1990s). I know this because her name is spoken over 125 times (throughout his deprecating memoir).

Audiobook version:

This is a first! I've srsly never listened to an audiobook where the narrator continuously ad-libs self-deprecating laughs chuckle(s)! I mean, every 90 seconds (at most), Roberts can't get through reading his own memoir, out-loud, without inserting haughty-chortle; I stress, "inserting" because some appear to be engineered [e.g. duplicated] throughout the recording. It just comes across sounding as if Roberts instinctively knows when he's saying something unbelievable! ...As if each laugh someone protects him legally (from litigious blowback, from any of the nonsense he is vaguely recalling/check-listing (during his audiobook recording sessions).

fyi: Roberts bypasses his straight-to-video/VOD work entirely (that's right, No The Ambulance (1990). Nope.
Instead, Roberts offers us extended glimpse, behind-the-scenes of The Specialist (1994)

The FCKING Specialist

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an audiobook-I loved listening to it being read by the author!
He apparently was quite a jerk once upon a time and between trying to live up to what his father wanted and drugs-it played a major effect on his life.
I have seen him in a lot of stuff and he admits he has to pay the bills so no acting job is stupid enough for him at this point in his life.
He gives a lot of credit to his wife in the book which is very notable.
I was afraid it was going to be boring as some memoirs are but he filled it with just the right amount of self humor.

[Mediaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like his acting roles, this memoir is dark, raw, bizarre, quirky, at times funny, audacious, strange, and somewhat compelling but at other times unsettling. Roberts would probably be happy with all of those adjectives, but ultimately the book is unsuccessful at shedding the bad boy image he so much wants to distance himself from, and I doubt that his famous sister will be happy with Eric's need to add a few negative things along with his apologies.

I blame co-writer Sam Kashner for the disjointed structure of the autobiography. It's a mess with timelines jumping back and forth while some details get repeated three or four times. There are "stories" that aren't detailed but just single-sentence or single-paragraph summaries, which will disappoint those that want to know more about some of his projects.

The co-authors also seem confused about how many "films" Eric Roberts has been in--the claim is over 700 but online it's less than 500 (still holding the record for the most movies by an American actor) and at one point Roberts makes the ridiculous statement, "I do feel that with all the work I've been doing--more than a hundred movies a year on average...." Huh? I think he's counting every episode of a TV show or each music video during a short period as a separate "movie" because he hasn't done one hundred films a year for his adult life!

There is a lot to empathize with when it comes to Roberts' upbringing, with a creepy dad he came to half-hate and a mother who refused to take the boy with her after the parents divorced. Beyond a few years when the 11-years-older Eric was big brother to little Julia, the two didn't have lots to do with each other after the family split between men and women.

There are some shockers in the pages--his stepmother drowned when he took her on the water in a rowboat that his dad refused to get into and he suspects his father planned for the woman to die; and Eric's wife admits during the writing of this book that she lied to Eric when they got "married"--she was still legally married at the time and didn't tell him until this memoir was written! How he still overpraises her in this is beyond me because she has been lying to him for over 30 years.

His attempts to apologize for everything in his life, especially to his famous sister, seem genuine but are poorly stated. He tries digging out of holes but ends up only deeper, when saying how he didn't think Julia acted well in one of her most famous roles or questioning why he wasn't invited to their mother's first funeral.

He admits to his main issues but doesn't seem to grasp that he hasn't truly given up his decades-long drug addiction. He was on a whole lot of illegal and prescribed drugs, and admits that he refuses to give up the heavy marijuana habit that has caused him to be pushed away by friends, family, and some in Hollywood.

So how does he keep working? Because he has a great wife who is a casting director that everyone loves and gets him short shoots for a couple hundred dollars each where he won't cause major problems on sets as he had done in the past. It's sad to read of how they struggle financially as he's paid $150 for a role in a movie, but you can't feel too sorry for a guy who snorted or shot up or blew his money away for his entire adult life. He made bad choices and is suffering for it.

Generally it's worth reading but never has a title been more accurate: the book, like the man it's about, is a true runaway train that's off the rails but still moving.

[Eden Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit JetBlackDragonfly (The Man Who Read Too Much) at www.edenthompson.ca/blog

Runaway Train, or, The Story Of My Life So Far is the frank memoir of actor Eric Roberts. Will it always be added that he is the brother of movie star Julia Roberts, and father of actor Emma Roberts?
Yes, it will.
He lived a tumultuous personal life as a functioning drug addict, yet still managed some great film performances.

"This is a book of scar tissue, the scars I can live with, and the scars that I hide".
Strained relationships are the norm, but he is open enough to admit his part, and you can see clearly he was difficult to be around. For many years estranged from his sisters and daughter, they have an even relationship now.
He grew up in Georgia with parents who were controlling alcoholic and depressed. Although his father ran an acting school, his lifelong advice to Eric was demeaning and cruel. Subsequently he sought out father figures, even an agent who sabotaged him. Eleven years older than his sisters, he suffered a childhood they escaped when the parents divorced. He points out in a family of dysfunction, there is often a damaged child, and another who smiles and says everything is fine.

Eric was an established actor before Julia became a superstar in 1990, which he looks at with admiration and envy. It's hard to become a fame-adjacent family member. His break out film was King of the Gypsies (1978) followed by a career defining role in Bob Fosse's Star 80, playing a predatory and sleazy murderer, typecasting him as a heavy. After the acclaimed The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), he gave an Oscar-nominated performance in the terrific Runaway Train (1985), despite running on cocaine.
All day. Every day. For years.
He was an addict from 1979 to 1992, continually ending anecdotes with how he burned bridges with cast and crew. His long relationship with actress Sandy Dennis was strained as well, including a car crash in 1981 which left him in a coma for days, learning to walk and talk again, not knowing if the crash induced the coma, or the overload of cocaine. There is a lot about his his wife Eliza, his sisters, and the jobs he let go (turning Scorsese down for The Last Temptation of Christ).
He is proud to be a working actor, although appearing in over 700 films, they are mostly non-theatrical B films, he can shoot two or three in a day. There is also his time on the TV show Celebrity Rehab. I would have preferred more film stories, such as his role in one of my favourite thrillers, the Hitchcock inspired Final Analysis (1992) with Richard Gere and Kim Basinger, in which Kim acheives the feat off outperforming Eric in scenery chewing.

This seems a cathartic memoir, as he comes around from I don't know why people left me, to drug addicts are hard to be around. It's hard to believe he maintains such a diverse career (even in big films like The Dark Knight), despite it all.
This is for fans of his work, but also of note to addicts, and the family of those recovering.
I enjoyed it.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very candid memoir by actor Eric Roberts. Yes, I knew he was way more than just Julia Roberts older brother. He has been in 750 films. Nominated for awards. I remember him in Star 80 as the evil murderous boyfriend and Runaway Train with Jon Voight. I always wondered why he wasn’t even more of a breakout out star like Julia Roberts was. It seems to be a combination of three things. He had a tendency to argue with directors, a difference of opinions. Next, was his addictions, lots of weed, and coke etc. (This went on for many years) The other reason was his agent was talking him out of some awesome movie roles.
I would of given the book 5 stars but I’ve read a lot of autobiographies and I get bored reading over and over how many drugs, types of drugs, they were taking and how it ruined them. I get it. Drugs are bad. Alcohol is bad. I do see that he was self-medicating because of a messed up childhood. His father sounded like a true gaslighting narcissist. His mother he cared so little for that early on in his career he was quoted as saying she had died. (She had not) This only drew more of a separation between him and his two younger sisters. (Julia and Lisa)
He was not very close to anyone really until he met and married Eliza. She saved him and became his assistant/manager.
(Personal note: I was a lowly PA on a movie in 2015 called “Emma’s Chance” shot in Chino Hills and LA. The catering company was owned/operated by Eric Roberts’ step daughter Morgan.)

Anyway I liked most of the book even though some of the repeating parts about all the drug abuse could have been cut out. I got it the first time. I did truly feel sorry for Eric to have to put up with his father Walter. This I believe caused his drug abuse and the problems that let him to be so difficult along the way. I was glad to see his wife helped him turn around that reputation so that now he is known for being easier to work with and reliable.

[Franklin J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've admired Eric Roberts' work for a while but didn't know much about him beyond his acting and the fact that he's Julia Roberts' older brother. That changed last week when I watched his interview with Michael Rosenbaum on "Inside of You". In that interview, he opened up about his life and struggles in a way that resonated deeply with me, especially at this point in my life.

When he mentioned his new book, I ordered it the very next day. It’s incredibly well-written, and so many of his experiences mirror my own. He dives into painful topics like addiction, depression, anxiety, and the loneliness that comes from pushing people away, struggling with self-worth, and the heartbreak of damaged relationships. Reading about his family struggles and Hollywood stories was not only fascinating but, at times, painfully relatable.

Through all the ups and downs, Eric’s found love and support that helped him rebuild, and he expresses so much gratitude for that. He talks about how, despite his imperfections, the cracks within him are healing, though they'll never be the same, they’re part of what makes him who he is today. It’s a message that hit home for me, reminding me that healing is ongoing and that these imperfections don’t define us, they shape us. Recently I started to read Jim Carrey's memoir, after the third chapter I put the book away because, it wasn't that interesting. He's talked a lot about his depression and I thought this book would reflect that, but it was the opposite. Eric Roberts book, for me, shows they can be beauty in the broken.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars.

I have seen a lot of Eric's work, my favorite being "It's My Party" back in the 1990s. I think, because they do not look like it, many would be surprised to know that he is Julia Roberts older brother.

What I liked: Eric has lived a lot in his life. This book goes through some of his childhood, acting years, his family, relationships, etc, all of the stuff in a good memoir. It also goes deep into his substance use, and a lot about his sister Julia. One of the biggest things I can say after reading this book is Eric was always a great character actor, maybe one of the best, and if circumstances had been different he might have seen the kind of success that his "baby sister" sees. It is clear here that Eric thinks a lot of her as a person, sister, and actor. Is he jealous of her? I would encourage you to read this and figure that out for yourself.

What I did not like: this book jumped around a lot. The chapters were title with the years they took place over Eric's life, which i appreciated, but nothing everything in them was in that year. Eric often went on tangin's where he would be talking about a movie experience, then go on to talk about a few of Julia's movies and how he felt about them. Or, about his marriage, Or substance use. Things did not really flow well, which left me having a very hard time connecting with this story. While I read it, I am not sure I really liked it. I am glad I got it on my kindle because it was a lot cheaper than buying a hardcover, and it is not taking up room on my shelf.

[Mark Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book in my Want to Read list on Goodreads since May, so I was eager to read it. I knew of Eric Roberts (by way of Julia Roberts, his younger sister).

I had no clue his parents were at one point in his early life co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop and they ran a children’s acting school as well. That is where Eric found his niche as an actor, and has been in a lot of movies. The only movie I can reference that I know of is a recent Spenser movie. The stories of how he got parts to some of movies is mentioned.

He discussed in detail bout his life growing up and how different it was for him with his parents than with his younger sisters. They often took their frustrations out on him.

He talked very openly about his drug usage (cocaine and weed), and his behavior on set of movies, which sometimes was bad and sometimes was good.

He also talked very openly about his relationships. Especially, his daughter Emma Roberts and his wife Eliza and her kids. His addictions to drugs really took a big hit in regards to his relationship with Julia and Lisa, his younger sisters.

There are a lot of Hollywood gossip stories with actors he grew friendly with; Mickey Rourke, Tom Bringer, and Christopher Walken, just to name a few.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Now, I need to get Julia to share her story!

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid fan of the actor, from his debut in "King of the Gypsies" through his Playhouse 90 TV movies and into the golden period of "Pope" and "Star 80," this was not a disappointment. The material devoted to actor life details (early apartments and 70s NYC), Roberts' youth, the experiences he had in theater--with crazy, neurotic directors and teachers--is all fascinating and the man's humor and storytelling are engaging. I wanted to hear more about his experiences surviving the 80s and 90s B-movies and all the stories re: those years of multiple films with colorful costars, ranging from Rutger Hauer to Cheech Marin. But when your career boasts 1 billion titles, it's a lot to ask. I would have preferred almost zero material devoted to Julia Roberts. Also fascinating: Roberts's descriptions of his current calendar and how the straight-to-God-knows-where movies he sometimes participates in are organized--and their pay scales. Having acted in several of these over the years here in Europe, it's mind-boggling to understand the process. Overall, there's too many great anecdotes and experiences to not recommend the book. Most shocking involves Eddie Bunker and "Runaway Train." I loved the first half more than the second, but I'm damn glad I read it--and I'm glad I got to work with the guy. Bravo.

[Melissa M Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eric Roberts’ book was intriguing, but he appears to be a deeply troubled individual who has made some progress in his life. However, his relationship with his wife seems rather unhealthy. She has endured numerous affairs and, in my opinion, prioritized him over her own son. I would never have allowed my child to leave home at the age of 16 after such a man had verbally assaulted him. Especially one who had verbally abused me, physically assaulted me, and cheated on me multiple times. In my view, she has stayed with him solely for her career. Eric practically stated that she is his only client! It seems that he has allowed her to ruin his career. She has pushed him to take on roles that are detrimental to his career. No wonder she only has him as a client. Their relationship is so unhealthy and enabling. Don’t even get me started on her writing to his mother and attempting to defend all his past wrongdoings, although he may have had some valid points about his mother. What his mother did to him was terrible. Eric’s family’s decision not to invite him to his sister and mother’s memorial was unfortunate, but I can’t help but wonder if it was justified to some extent. From what he has written, he clearly is a difficult person to be around. In my opinion, the entire family has issues….

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally have this book. It's been on my to-read list since ER announced it. He is my second favorite actor (the late Bart the Bear will forever be my favorite) and I have an ER "archives" of about 100 lbs. of press packets, magazines, and various other collectibles. I really need to downsize.

page 33 ER says he and a friend committed a robbery. Robbery involves taking property from a person through threats or fear of harm, but burglary, which is the crime they committed, involves entering a building illegally, whether or not something is actually stolen. There were no people in the building to rob so they didn't commit a robbery.

page 144 When he was living in Rhinecliff, NY, ER says that he is 2 1/2 hours away from the nearest hospital. This is BS. Northern Dutchess Hospital is in Rhinebeck barely 3 miles from Rhinecliff. There are countless hospitals inside of 2 1/2 hours of Rhinecliff, from Albany Medical Center to New York-Presbyterian! The Metro-North commuter train runs from Rhinecliff to NYC in under 2 1/2 hours. ER knows about Metro-North to NYC because he rides it on page 204.

page 145 Eliza's gynecologist tells ER that it was not legal for him to treat male patients. More BS. Gynecologists graduate from medical school and have a license to practice medicine just like any other doctor. They chose a specialty that excludes men and, since 2013, the board that certifies gynecologists has placed restrictions on them treating men, but it has never been illegal.

page 175 ER says "The hair and makeup folks . . . I treated them like shit sometimes too." I had to laugh when I read this because I have confirmation. In 1999, someone who did his makeup got in touch with me to rant about how nasty ER was to his makeup people.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Eric Roberts has made a book called Runaway Strain,” And Sam Kushner also put some stuff into the book. It’s a book that any could read the book again. Yes, it the best book for the first of a new year.

The very first words we get in this book is: “People don’t take trains anymore – they take drugs to get where they’re going.” That problem is noted in the book but there is plenty of stuff to read and think about. It’s a book that a group of people good do. And the people in the book are women.

In chapter we get the word “biochemical” processes. But you don’t have the degree of bio-stuff. And in Chapter 3 we get “Liberty: Big Dada Is Watching You.”

The chapters show a think that could be useful to understand the “21 Lessons.” Part II takes us to think about some what is happening (and did do) with chapters of “Community,” “Civilization,” “Nationalism,” “Religion,” and “Immigration.”

The part of Immigration is the long chapter and raises some ideas about the issues we are in for the peoples in our country. I think this is the best part of the book.

The 13th chapter is a problem. It works the most on Christian thought and ideas. I want to have had the material of that last book – usually the most important in the book.

[Tony Farinella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. Eric Roberts is brutally honest and candid about his life. It was very refreshing, and the book was impossible to put down. He talks about his relationship with his daughter, Emma, and why it’s strained and also issues a public apology to sister Julia Roberts. At times, I felt sorry for him and other times, I was annoyed by his self-destructive behavior. He’s a fascinating and complex individual. I truly hope he finds peace in his life and happiness. This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a long time. The reason I can’t give it five stars is because it’s not long enough and he glosses over a lot of major details. I’m not sure if this is because of the physical and mental damage he experienced during a car accident or because of his excessive drug use. That being said, he hits the high points of his film career along with the highs and lows of his life in general. I loved the behind-the-scenes stories regarding his most well-known film projects. I just wanted him to go more in depth instead of just giving us the cliff notes. This book comes highly recommended if you enjoy celebrity memoirs as much as I do.

[DV K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of Eric Roberts’ book after watching him on Dancing With the Stars. I don’t think I have ever seen him in any acting role, but the YouTube scenes I’ve watched of him in Pope of Greenwich Village and King of the Gypsies, he does seem like a very talented actor. I have heard critics say that he is more talented than his famous sister, Julia Roberts, and I think that is a fair statement. I’m not interested in anything his daughter Emma Roberts is in.

I enjoyed the book. Eric Roberts definitely has some demons and has lived with a bunch of regret. Unlike other reviews, there were no challenges following the timeline. I feel that he truly wants to make peace with his estranged family. I hope he gets that chance.

I recommend this book and I will be looking out for him in movies and television!

[S. Reid]

I LIKE ERIC ROBERTS & IT HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH HIS FILM ACTING.
I SAW HIM MAINLY ON NOW DEFUNCTED TV SHOWS LIKE OZ & THE L WORD & THOUGHT HOW MUCH I LIKED HIS ACTING STYLE.
I ALSO LOVED THAT HE'S ONE OF THE FEW WHITE ACTORS WHO WILL WILLFULLY APPEAR IN MUSIC VIDEOS OF BLACK ARTISTS LIKE RIHANNA & MARIAH CAREY, PARTICULARLY HIP HOP ACTS LIKE JARULE TOO! I RECALL THE LATE RAY LIOTTA ONCE REFUSING TO GUEST STAR IN RIHANNA'S B!TCH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY VISUAL & RIHANNA GOT ERIC ROBERTS TO PLAY THE ROLE THAT HAD BEEN OFFERED TO RAY LIOTTA, WHICH ERIC ROBERTS RECEIVED COOL POINTS FOR!
BECAUSE OF THAT MADE ME WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ERIC ROBERTS THAN JUST BEING EMMA ROBERTS' DAD & JULIA ROBERTS OLDER BROTHER.

[James Christenbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Eric is very open and forthright about his personal issues that strained his relationship with his sister Julia, such as child abuse from his parents and his drug addictions. He also talks about how those issues (plus bad behavior on set) affected his working life to where he lost some big opportunities and earned a bad boy reputation that caused his fame to fizzle out in the 90s. He's come a long way, having overcome his addictions and making amends with family, admitting his flaws, and working to be a better man with the love and support of his wife, Eliza. Having met Eric in person at a convention, he came off as a kind and cool guy. Bravo Eric for being in a good place in life.