Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu

by Tom Freston

A Gallery Book. Gallery Books has a great book for every reader.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Music, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Audiobook, Travel

320 pages, Hardcover

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous memoir. Incredibly entertaining and full of invaluable advice, both about business and life more generally. Highly recommend.

[Michael Tallon · Rating 2 out of 5]

After returning to Burma as a recently fired CEO, Tom writes: “Burma was a throwback to the old Asia I once knew before globalism transformed so much of the region.” Gee Tom I wonder how that might have happened. He spent the whole book recounting how he scoured the earth looking for new markets to exploit to spread the vapid monoculture gospel of MTV and then has the nerve to complain when he sees the effects he wrought.

Tom would like the reader to believe he’s a man torn between two worlds, one a thrill seeking nomad and the other an innovative and beloved CEO (on the very first page we find a story about how his subordinates gave him a standing ovation when he was so unfairly terminated). A more careful reading will reveal he was always a greedy capitalist merely cosplaying as a wanderlust hippy.

[kelly duroncelet · Rating 3 out of 5]

classic hagiography as a memoir. it delves much more into his travels than his corporate life to lay out the overarching theme: he’s not like the others. it’s a shame, as the portions of the book dedicated to his time at viacom are far more interesting. noticeably absent is virtually any mention of his personal life as an adult, which is his prerogative, but an interesting omission. easy readin!

[Chrissie K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating life to read about! His early (and later) adventures traveling the world are fascinating, as well as the stories of how he came to work at and the run MTV and Viacom. What a life of experiences he has had, surrounded with fascinating people from Afghanistan to Hollywood along the way.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting guy who has led an interesting life. But he sure thinks a lot of himself, that much is clear! There was far too much about Sumner Redstone and not enough about the author's own personal life. He mentions wives when they get married and then about 5 chapters later, when they divorced. I would have liked to hear more about them than Sumner. And speaking of Sumner, Tom Freston obviously doesn't know what the Boston Brahmins are because he says Sumner was one and he most definitely was not. Plus it was the Dike Bridge that Ted Kennedy drove off, not the Dyke Bridge, FFS.

[William (Bill) Fluke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tom Preston is a much better interview than he is an author. I saw him on Jimmy Fallon while promoting this book and found the topics he discussed interesting enough to have me check this book out of the library. I found “Unplugged “ highly disappointing. The first 100 pages are about his nomadic times before MTV. He spoke more of the Middle Eastern politics and geography and not that interesting. He does not write enough about his time at MTV. He barely sheds any insight into LiveAid, MTV Unplugged, and other aspects I’m familiar with from growing up with MTV. He moves on from his discussion of MTV ( quickly) and spends most of the book talking about his business life and co-workers in roles that did not spark my interest. I’m not sure how the Goodreads composite rating is so high.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing memoir by one of the co-founders of MTV, Tom Freston. The stories he talks about are amazing and he pulls back the curtain of what the early days of cable looked like. Freston went on to have a hand in not just MTV, but also Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, TV Land and so many others (and later had some oversight over Paramount Pictures). He also mentored a lot of major talent as well ranging from Bono (U2) to David Bowie and more.

What I enjoyed the most was how aspirational it was. Freston seems like a down-to-earth, fun person (and he's from a town near where I grew up) but he basically found his way into building a unique company that changed how we view music (music videos and later on, lifestyle programming). I do wish he got to have a longer run at Viacom (MTV's then owner) - he passed on MySpace which now seems like a wise move but he also talks about his role in working with Shane Smith at Vice and on other ventures as well. Highly recommend if you are in the media/television/music industry, as it's a fascinating read and so many of us grew up during MTV's heyday.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! Inspiring, fascinating, and made me feel like the author has lived a full and fulfilling life in every way, especially in his career in advertising on Madison Ave in the 60s and 70s and then becoming one of the cofounders of MTV and in his many travels to some of the ends of the earth (Timbuktu, Burma).

I enjoyed hearing about his time in Afghanistan pre-Soviet. It’s not something widely discussed these days, so it’s rare to hear someone rave so much about a country that unfortunately seems to have changed so much, in just a few decades. The people being some of the friendliest he’s ever encountered made me so sad. I hope they can one day return to being what they were when he visited!

This was a little heavy in the second half with business speak (sorry that bores me) but I get why he added it with being the CEO of Viacom and all. 😂 it also was pretty heavy on the sex clubs and sex industry in Thailand in the chapter on his his trips there. Not really something I needed to know so much detail about but… the more you know, maybe? 👀

Gosh, this made me miss the MTV I grew up with in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now I get it: I WANT MY MTV!!

[Christy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Plot: Unplugged is a memoir chronicling the journey of Tom Freston from global nomad to the founder and CEO of MTV Networks. As a non-traditionalist and visionary, Freston takes the reader on his unconventional journey to being a media mogul, highlighting his propensity to take risks, shrink the map, and bring together talent from unlikely places.
The Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tom Freston has had quite a wild ride! As a former intern at MTV Networks during the prime Beavis & Butthead and House of Style years, I was in awe of everything that Freston accomplished at Viacom and could not resist reading his newly released autobiographical novel, Unplugged. Plus, once I heard that he narrated the audio version himself, I was hooked. Freston did not take the traditional track to his media success, in fact, he did everything he could to follow the path less traveled and his worldly experiences will leave any reader simultaneously impressed and shocked. His ability to think outside the box, gather unlikely characters, and cross challenging borders is mind-boggling. His entrepreneurial spirit and fearless drive to create based on his interests and market knowledge are truly inspiring. While reading/listening you will undoubtedly “like the guy.” My only moment of pause would be that he comes off as a bit unbelievably likable. It would be quite a feat to obtain his executive ranks within the media industry and experience the array of worldly wonders he cites and remain the boy scout presented in this book. I wonder if those who know him personally can attest to his kind and down-to-earth character. I really hope so. The world could use an example of a successful, decent guy right about now.

[Margaret Hren · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read this year in the memrore category! Tom's knows how to tell a interesting , funny and eye opening story on how to live life and make life long friends that made him a powerhouse in entertainment - from creating and starting MTV and all the other cable channels that many of us loved and still watched, and the rise and fall of Viacom - ever business student needs to read this book . His wanderlust travels across Europe, Asia, India, North Africa and Afghanistan are so full of details I felt like I was standing right beside him. And is philanthropy to give back to those who need help is just eye opening. He ranks up there with my favorite and the godfather of travel writing Paul Theroux - I so want to be able to travel open borders again, but it's sad that myself and others will never get to see and travel off the beaten path to discover the world like Tom Freston did. Outstanding! Thank you Tom for the great journey on a tour of your travels and your business savvy. We all want our MTV!

[Timothy McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

MTV changed the world. For those who experienced its rise and soaring influence, this book offers an incredible insider's review. I had a friend that immediately identified the initial V-Jays as iconic, and there are well received books from that lens. We remember the magic of getting cable TV and then MTV knocking off our socks. This is also a Corporate America book where MTV was a bauble to be leveraged. But the corporate masters mostly looked away because it was churning out cash and the scene onsite was wild. Tom was the one who masterfully balanced both sides and he tells stories about people you never heard of and mega stars, all who took his call and let him into their world. Unplugged gives us an insider's stroll down memory lane, as well as a look at the 60s and early 70s memory lane that lead to it.

[J Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unplugged is an engaging, reflective memoir that captures a rare vantage point on culture, media, and global curiosity. Tom Freston’s storytelling blends personal experience with sharp observation, offering readers an insider’s look at moments that helped shape modern entertainment while also venturing far beyond it. The narrative feels grounded, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest.

What makes Unplugged especially compelling is its sense of perspective. The transitions from building MTV to traveling through places like Timbuktu are handled with humility and curiosity rather than ego. The book reads not just as a career memoir, but as a meditation on creativity, risk, and staying connected to the world beyond titles and institutions.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir by Tom Freston, the former CEO of MTV Networks and Viacom was interesting and had some fun anecdotes about the early days of MTV but dragged at points. Freston had an unusual start to a career as an executive with a sort of counterculture 1960s youth and a year spent traveling the world after a career in advertising felt boring. If I had my life to live over again, I might have taken some lessons from him. He certainly seems to have succeeded in finding interesting work that he enjoyed doing. Lots here about the early days of cable and how the media landscape changed between the 1980s and the early 2000s.

[John MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original “most interesting man in the world”, Unplugged is a supremely readable, always entertaining ride along with one of the most accomplished, fascinating personalities of the last 50 years. Not really a business memoir, (but also, not “not a business memoir”), Tom Freston makes you wish you were along for the ride, and makes you feel in many ways, you were. For anyone for whom MTV played a role in your formative years, and also anyone who is a seeker, you will definitely check out flights to the Far East on Expedia after reading.

[Jeffrey Gardiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightfully Entertaining & Instructive

Not all lives need perfect planning to achieve happiness and success. With little knowledge of Tom Freston and his pivotal role in creating MTV, he vividly shares guiding life and business lessons learned from early formative days traveling the developing world to operating at the pinnacle of competitive media sharing mistakes and victories. Fascinating.

[Avy Leghziel · Rating 5 out of 5]

much more than what meets the eye

Not the classic businessman biography. Freston mixes business, adventure and history without falling in cliches. He is not the rebel, not the woke, definitely not the hippie. But he travelled the hippie places, founded MTV, Cartoon Network and other revolutionary enterprises and did pragmatic humanitarian work in Africa.
Very much recommended.

[Tina Sado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from the “I want my MTV” generation, this was a fascinating read and I loved all the behind the scenes details on the marketing and out of the box thinking and ideas that spawned this revolution in music. Travel stories were a bit overly detailed but it added an important part to the author’s life story.

[Vicky Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating tale of one man’s rise from garment smuggler to CEO of Various media empires. Tom Freston ‘s writing style is very engaging…casual wit, intelligent insights, refreshing modesty. This is a great read for business students and adventurers alike.

[EVAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find someone who loves you as much as Tom Freston loves himself.

“Unplugged” is entertaining to a degree, but the author doesn’t provide any depth. I don’t feel like I knew any more about him after reading than I did before.

[Katie Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

now THIS is a memoir

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent. strangely enjoyed and found the parts about afghanistan as interesting as the parts about U2!

[Ibby Dalrymple · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADORED. Implore everyone to read this. V sad it’s over

[Heidi Gunnels · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED LOVED

[Lucie Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to see the development of MTV and the author’s adventures

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written, informative account of a fascinating, atypical and very successful life outside and inside the mainstream.

[Frank Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of chapter 44 is worth the entire read.

[Jeff Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful adventure, well written with delicious observations and funny sidebar action. It skips along, almost like a Robert Louis Stevenson story, even when it’s in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

[Kelly Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a TELL ALL

Would listen to this guy all day

[Phil Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story line from Tom Freston. Before reading this memoir, I was not aware of him or everything he did with MTV and the other companies he was involved with. I liked the pictures he included. Of interest, even though he dedicated the book to his two sons, there was very little if any personal information contained in this book. Just an observation since it didn’t take away of the narrative. I’d definitely recommend it for anyone.