[Tina30]

I recently read the James Frey book A Million Little Pieces and would love to discuss it with someone. I think the book was really good and I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding it but I was wondering if you all think it took away from the meaning of the book. I think that when Oprah blasted him on her show she was a bit out of line. I think she sort of acted immature. I don't think she was complaining when his book was top on the chart and her logo was stamped on the front. I think it was wrong of him to embleish like he did but I think the underlying story was totally lost with her tirade. I just think that it is a shame that this man overcame something that was a demon to him and she made him feel like crap. I don't think that the things he embleshied were all that important to begin with anyway. I also think that if this book helped anyone who struggles with a addiction of any kind that is all that should matter. I know for myself I have never struggled with drugs or any substance but I have had a addiction to food and still struggle with it. I think if anything this book showed me how powerful a addiction can be and how strong you have to be to overcome it. It really made me think about how no addiction is worse then another. It is whatever your battle is that is hardest to you. I think that James showed incrediable strength and perserverance through his treatment and I like that he did it his way. I don't think that everyone can be treated with the same plan and he is proof. I was just really sad that I had to see that Oprah show because then it made me question the whole book as I am sure it did others. I have just decided though that everthing that I took from the book that was positive I will keep. I was just wondering what you all thought if you have read the book. I also will say that if you have not yet read it I would highly recommend it to everyone. The name of the book is A Million Little Pieces and the author is James Frey. There is also a book called My Brother Lenord that follows his first book. Let me know what you all think. If anyone is interested in starting a book club that would be cool to.

[EZMONEY]

From what I saw and read I think the author's biggest addiction is that he is a liar. The book may be an interesting story ~~ but it is what it is ~~ a STORY. Personally, I wouldn't give the guy a nickel of my $$$$.

[jrnyc]

I read the book before all the hoopla and I kept telling myself that he was lying or exaggerating a lot. So it did not surprise me when it turned out to be so. Also I think that the boy is a truly bad writer. I did read the book because of the message and was cheering for Frey all the way.

If the book helped people then I did a good thing (in fact I saw a woman in Oprah that asserted so), but personally I believe that addiction to drugs or food is just a symptom not the disease. The disease is something that is missing from our psychological make up and that lying is part of that disease. I have worked a lot with addicts and even though I think it's part of the package, it can be really frustrating when the sabotage themselves with all the lying. (I do not offer psychological, medical or social service type help, though.)

As for Oprah, I think it works the other way around: she does not derive any benefit, instead books that have the Oprah seal sky-rocket to the top of the charts with the concomittant financial benefit to the author.

[happydaisy]

I absolutely agree with the poster above me, I really disliked his writing style. I thought it was meant to reflect his state of mind throughout his addiction, but finding out that it was all lies made me dislike it even more.

[ApplBride]

I read the book after he turned out to be a fraud. It was okay. But its funny...I think that he is still on the best sellers list even after being busted. Anything that draws attention to a book...negative or positive...people buy the book still just to see what the hype is all about. I am proof of that, ha.

[HungryMonkey]

Frey's writing was dreadful, and the only reason I could stomach the book was because it was true. Except it wasn't. All writers draw from their personal experiences, but to pass it off as a memoir when rejected as fiction is pathetic.

[FrouFrou]

Don't all Authors embellish anything they write? At least I always think they do.

I haven't read the book yet. I say yet because I do plan on buying it. I heard good things about it before the hoopla and now that all that came out...it makes me want to read it even more.

And Oprah...she will do what she has to do to cover her own a$$.

[jas80]

i loved it. fiction or not. it's still one i'd read again.

[Linds81]

I actually just stared reading the book. I had purchased it before all the hoopla of Frey embelishing some facts. Personally, it doesn't really bother me one way or another if it's a memoir or not. I guess some people kind of embelish on things in conversation (I know a lot of people that do this everyday!) Frey was wrong by calling it a memoir if it was not entirely true.

I've worked a lot with adolescents with various addictions, and I find the topic very fasinating. I'm looking forward to actually getting some time to get into this book.

The way I see it, is if this book has been able to help people with an addiction, then great!

[mauvaisroux]

I think the point is that he lied to the public by calling his book fact. If this had been rated as fiction that would have been okay by me. Even if the book had been touted as "based on a true story" the way they do with some films that would have been fine too.

But hyping it as the truth when it wasn't was wrong.

To me this book now being revealed as being untrue is a disservice to people who did come through addiction problems and are honest about it even if they did or did not write a book about their recovery. My mother-in law-was a counsellor at a drug/alcohol hehab centre and dealt with these issues all the time and was herself a former alcoholic. Maybe that is why this whole thing bothers me so much.

Not only that, if you look at it this way, if you were told something was one thing, paid the money for it and then discovered it was not what you were sold you would feel rippped off wouldn't you? If this work had been marketed as a work of fiction or as being based on actual events then you wouldn't feel like he ripped readers off, or was a liar and a phoney.

But then that seems to be the way society is heading with things like tabloids where they even make up fake stories just to sell papers, reality shows like Survivor, Big Brother etc. and Simple Life that seem to say it's okay to lie, steal, cheat or be rude and mean to others to get ahead and all of these are eaten up by the public.

I'll get off my box now

[EZMONEY]

I could not have said it better MAUVAISROUX

So sad when the "reality" shows are scripted ~~ even sadder that we WATCH

My son was good friends with a guy that was dating one of the girls on that show something about "meet the parents"...you would not believe how much of it was scripted and untrue from, the house they were supposed to be living in, the ex girlfriends, the guy that "won" the date, etc.

The book may or not be good...but what it is ~ is a farce!