A Million Little Pieces

[FergieTCat]

Did anyone else read this book? Are you disappointed that it's mostly fiction?

I started the book and thought it was wonderful. However, I enjoy reading memoirs, and I like first person accounts. Now that I know it's fiction, I dont' want to finish it. I have no interest in reading a fictionalized account of drug rehab.

I can no longer connect with the author; I also think it was dishonest of him to market the book as non-fiction to publishers. I think the publishers should ask Mr. Frey to return any and all profits he made on the book and then use the money to reimburse disgruntled readers.

I think Oprah has a right to be upset; she endorsed the book. She helped promote sales. Basically, she was conned.

What do you think? Am I being to hard on James Frey? Do you think the book is worth finishing?

 

[minniecarousel]

I watched Oprah yesterday and agree that it should have been presented as fiction.

I almost bought it, but remembered that my son's GF had it & figured I could borrow it from her (once I'm done reading the 12 books I have to read around here!)

 

[Christine]

First off all--despite it being fiction, it is still an excellent read and, I think, a good story. While I didn't like being fooled, I still enjoyed the book.

The "characters" in the story are actual human beings: friends, family members, acquaintenances but they have been made into characters versus the real person.

I think what I liked most about the book and the ONE POINT that I think is true is that he "bucked" the 12-step recovery sytem and did it on his own. Now, I know that 12-step recovery has helped millions of people, but I've never liked it. It was refreshing to see his attitude toward it. I do believe that part is true. Heck, if even 20% of this book is true (which I believe it is), then it is still a good story.

As Oprah said in her show yesterday, he should put below the title "Based on a true story." How many movies have we all seen and enjoyed that are based on a true story but have been really changed. You can still enjoy it.

My co-workers were discussing this today. You know the movie "Remember the Titans"? That is about a period of time in the 1970s about T.C. Williams High School here in Northern Virginia. My co-worker lived through the time and went to that school when the movie took place. She said it was NOTHING like the movie presented--yet the movie was marketed as a true story.

As for Frey marketing his book as a non-fiction, I think the *jury* is still out on that one and I wish Oprah had cleared it up yesterday. I read somewhere (maybe it was Smoking Gun) that he had originally written the book as a fiction and several publishing houses turned him down. When he submitted it to his current publisher, they told him that they would only accept the book if it sold as a non-fiction. They asked him to take some of the fictional points out of it, which he claims he stripped much of it out, and they recategorized it. I think the blame goes directly to Frey AND the publisher--they pushed him and he went for the money.

 

[Briarmom]

I loved it. I love James Frey even more after what he went through on Oprah yesterday.
I agree that it should say 'Based on a True Story' or something like that, but I wouldn't say it is fiction. I think a lot of this happened.
Can't wait to read 'My Friend Leonard' and I hope people are still helped by Frey's life.

 

[rigs32]

My problem with it is that he claims that he was sooooo low - criminal acts, out of control behavior - and recovered on his own. Fine idea, but you're setting up people in similar situations to fail because you WEREN'T at that place. I just think it gives some people false hope regarding their ability to recover on their own.

 

[Ava83]

I started the book and thought it was wonderful. However, I enjoy reading memoirs, and I like first person accounts. Now that I know it's fiction, I dont' want to finish it. I have no interest in reading a fictionalized account of drug rehab.

I kinda feel the same way, but on the other hand, it is a REAL good book and I know I will finish it. I TIVO'd Oprah last night and need to watch it also.

I'm pretty sure I will pick it up again this weekend.

 

[Royalbear]

I think the only thing true about Frey's book is that he went to rehab. But I am not even convinced that he did it because he was an addict or alcoholic. I think he went to rehab to get out of a couple of DUI's. His act on Oprah yesterday did not convince me AT ALL.

 

[TeresaNJ]

Doesn't anyone think Oprah was a little over the top in her being judge and jury? Since when has she become America's mother? I'm tired of her condescending, holier than thou attitude. I use to like her so much, but she is really starting to tick me off. How about her being honest about the weight she's starting to put back on?

 

[disfanatiks]

Doesn't anyone think Oprah was a little over the top in her being judge and jury? Since when has she become America's mother? I'm tired of her condescending, holier than thou attitude. I use to like her so much, but she is really starting to tick me off. How about her being honest about the weight she's starting to put back on?

I did not see the show, only bits here and there. But I do agree with you. From what I have seen she did appear like she was the one who is judge and jury. Quite frankly, I would expect a bit more from her. And maybe it is just me...but who cares that Oprah endorsed a book that turned out to not be as true as she thought. In the 80's she endorsed a liquid diet drink that she says was a mistake as well. Get over it, move on. Instead of using an hour to berate someone who was already down, she could have used that hour much more productively. IMHO. There are so many more important issues in this world right now.

Larry King said on his show that he spoke to Frey after the Oprah Show and offered for him to come on his show and that Frey was so distraught and down that he declined. King said that Frey told him it had been the worse day of his life.

 

[lilostitch]

I loved it. I love James Frey even more after what he went through on Oprah yesterday.
I agree that it should say 'Based on a True Story' or something like that, but I wouldn't say it is fiction. I think a lot of this happened.
Can't wait to read 'My Friend Leonard' and I hope people are still helped by Frey's life.

I agree for the most part. I thought the book was excellent, but he shoud have put a disclaimer about things being exaggerated/changed in the book. It wouldn't have and didn't change my thoughts about the book.

I still want to read My Friend Leonard.

 

[Miller1412]

I loved it when I thought it was totally nonfiction. Now that I know so much of it is contrived, it's very dissapointing, and I find it hard to believe any of it. Had it been published as fiction, I probably wouldn't have liked it thinking it was very far fetched and self-important.

The reason I liked it so much in the beginning was because I thought he had overcome unbelievable hardships. Now it turns out, they really were unbelievable.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I just wanted to clarify that I don't condone what James Frey did, he should have put a disclaimer that it was a book based on a true story, but for Oprah to do what she did to him on her show was in my mind disgraceful. I can't believe he sat there and let her talk to him the way she did. Why didn't she say what she had to say and then move on? What was the point of her having him on the show and then humiliate him in front on the world. I suppose some will say that he deserved it for lying, but hey, show me someone who has never lied about anything. I thought her performance was more distasteful that his lying. Her supposed "power" is really going to her head.

 

[Pinnie]

I was reading it and got half way through it when I found out it wasn't the truth. I didn't finish reading it and passed it on to a co-worker. I hate being duped and would have prefered to have had the author be honest and say it was BASED on a true story.

I think Frey got what he deserved on Oprah.

pinnie

 

[TeresaNJ]

I loved it when I thought it was totally nonfiction. Now that I know so much of it is contrived, it's very dissapointing, and I find it hard to believe any of it. Had it been published as fiction, I probably wouldn't have liked it thinking it was very far fetched and self-important.

The reason I liked it so much in the beginning was because I thought he had overcome unbelievable hardships. Now it turns out, they really were unbelievable.

Overcoming a drug and alcohol addiction is overcoming an unbelievable hardship.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Doesn't anyone think Oprah was a little over the top in her being judge and jury? Since when has she become America's mother? I'm tired of her condescending, holier than thou attitude. I use to like her so much, but she is really starting to tick me off. How about her being honest about the weight she's starting to put back on?

Too be honest, I have not watched Oprah or Dr. Phil AT ALL this season.
Something has changed with Oprah. Last season she was very condescending and angry at the guests she had on.

Although I think Oprah has every right to be angry, she was lied too. She DID NOT have to bring him on the show just to boost her show. It reaks of publicity stunt to me.

It is like someone else is driving her show. There has been a change somewhere.

 

[Miller1412]

Overcoming a drug and alcohol addiction is overcoming an unbelievable hardship.

Too right, TeresaNJ, and I totally agree on that point.

I just mean that I call into question every word that comes out of James Frey's mouth including ditching the 12 step program and doing it on "his own terms".

 

[TeresaNJ]

Gotcha!`