A Million Little Pieces

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It's a hit!

Despite the whole big issue with this book on Oprah, it's still one of the best books I have ever read. The book holds a good message and I'm quite... (show more)

Despite the whole big issue with this book on Oprah, it's still one of the best books I have ever read. The book holds a good message and I'm quite sad about what happened to the people, whether it be true or not. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

It was so unbearable to read, it just kept repeating itself over and over again. There is also a distinct lack of punctuation in this book. The wri... (show more)

It was so unbearable to read, it just kept repeating itself over and over again. There is also a distinct lack of punctuation in this book. The writing style is not very easy to follow and James Frey is not a good writer at all, I am really surprised that this book got published and that he got a second book published as well (that's the power of Oprah for you.) It is only a slightly touching story- if you get past the horrid writing, and damned clichés- I cannot find it in me to really have empathy for a character that really angers me. He makes fun of the system that helps him the whole time. also I could've connected more if the writing style was not so annoying, He will repeat lines for dramatic effect, dramatic effect, dramatic effect, dramatic effect, that may coincide with the drug problem that he's trying to reflect through writing, but it makes me want to burn the book. It is somehow an "uplifting"story for many people, I didn't find it so at all, it just makes me not want to be James Frey. I actually put the book down half way though out of utter annoyance. I am really dissapointed that this book had so much hype to it. I hate to believe that so many people have such bad taste in books. I cannot understand how so many people can claim that the book "changed thier lives" or is "one of the best books ever", how do they buy in to such crap, you'd think he could tell better lies. (show less)

 

 

by Matthew Boldrini

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  I like Gail was wholey unaware of any controversy that surrounded this book until I had finished it. Does it make a difference to the way I feel about the book? Not really. I believe this book offers an alternative to the traditionally 12 step theories of addiction. Maybe Frey was ashamed of his actions, maybe he wasn't as brave as he made out in the book, maybe his 'girlfriend' slit her wrists rather than hanged herself - does this really alter the premise of the book?

  Frey himself admit... (show more)

  I like Gail was wholey unaware of any controversy that surrounded this book until I had finished it. Does it make a difference to the way I feel about the book? Not really. I believe this book offers an alternative to the traditionally 12 step theories of addiction. Maybe Frey was ashamed of his actions, maybe he wasn't as brave as he made out in the book, maybe his 'girlfriend' slit her wrists rather than hanged herself - does this really alter the premise of the book?

  Frey himself admits, " People cope with adversity in many different ways, ways that are deeply personal. [...] My mistake [...] is writing about the person I created in my mind to help me cope, and not the person who went through the experience." Can he really be condemned because of this? I like Gail don't really care whether he had one or two root canals and whether he embellished certain aspects of his story.

  I still stand by my initial response to the book, it shocked, stunned and drew me into his world of addiction. I thorughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel about his friendship with Leonard. (show less)

   

  by Little Bronty on Apr 02, 2009 at 02:17PM

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  Only when I was halfway through this extraordinary book was I informed of the controversy surrounding it. In a nutshell it may be more on the fiction side than the memoir side - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Million_Little_Pieces - Now that I'm done I've decided that I don't really care how much is fiction and how much actually happened to him. The point of the book and the way the suffering of people trying their damnedest to recover is too beautifully and aptly expressed for me to nitpick ... (show more)

  Only when I was halfway through this extraordinary book was I informed of the controversy surrounding it. In a nutshell it may be more on the fiction side than the memoir side - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Million_Little_Pieces - Now that I'm done I've decided that I don't really care how much is fiction and how much actually happened to him. The point of the book and the way the suffering of people trying their damnedest to recover is too beautifully and aptly expressed for me to nitpick over whether or not he had one or two root canals.

  When I read Elizabeth Wurtzel's, "Prozac Nation", I was like, "YES, YES, YES!!! THIS is my reality! THIS is the naked face of the disease!" Did it help me to know that it was her own experience and not fiction? Absolutely. But what if a friend had explained their hell to her in exacting detail but didn't posses Wurtzel's writing talent? What if Wurtzel was then able to translate that suffering into a book that would help to ease the pain of millions? Should that be discounted?

  I feel the same way for "A Million Little Pieces." If in whatever way Frey has managed to open the eyes of family and friends of addicts and to offer even a glimmer of hope to anyone stuck in that horrible place then I can do nothing but fully support it. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Apr 02, 2009 at 11:57AM

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