A million little pieces

[crystalmom]

Just in case....if anyone wants to read "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey, be cautioned. It is one of Oprah's book club selections and it is an amazing book. I will recommend reading it, if you don't mind reading about v*. It's not grossly detailed, but the guy is being de-toxed. There are some v*ing peices in the beginning, although they are very powerful. Truely an amazing novel. If you can, pick it up. I can't say enough about how great it is!!!!


Crystal

[crimgoddess]

Hehe- did you read the recent news stories about this book? Apparently the author 'embellished' a bit of the details of his life:


Check 'er out: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/jamesfr...jamesfrey1.htm l


Apparently some distributers are giving people their money back- which I think is BS. Most memoirs embellish the facts anyway- and apparently James Frey intended it to be published as a novel....but doubleday published decided it would do better as a memoir. In doing so, they decided not to change any of the text.


I have personally stayed away from this book because of it's affiliation with Oprah- she is probably one of if not THE public figure that annoys me the most. But, because of the recent controversy, I may end up checking it out.....So you say it's worth it Crystal?


LOL- at least I know I can get a copy cheap now!


*amber*

[reese]

Oprah is my favorite person in the world!! She's such a generous woman!!

[sparky2004]

I would buy the book just to deal with my reactions to reading about getting sick. I would use it as a tool, to judge how far I've come, if I have at all since christmas.

[Babydoll]

I would love to read it, Ive heard so many good reviews about it!! and I think it would be a good thing for an Emet to read... the more exposure the better!

[ontariogirl]

Do you think his book will still sell? What about his second book?.
I don't know why he had to lie? I know that Oprah was really p-off, but look at how many peoples lives he touched who has alcohol/drug abuse. What was he thinking?
What do you think?

[crystalmom]

From what I understand, he wrote it as he remembered it. There are no MAJOR embellishments, although some surrounding other characters in the book.


In the second printing, he is putting a disclaimer in it.


No matter whether this is a memoir or a novel, it really is an amazing book. The fact that MOST of it is true, and to his memory, accurate, makes it that much more interesting.


Personally, I love Oprah, and find that the books she chooses ARE very excellent reads. I haven't read all of them, but have picked up a few over the years, and enjoyed them.


I also think that all this is going to be good for the next printing. So many people are going to wonder what all this is about, and pick it up. Really clever, if you ask me.


Regardless, I still recommend the book. It is a non-stop read. You can't put it down, from page one!


Crystal

[crimgoddess]

Although I agree that Oprah is very generous with her money- myMAIN problem with her (there are a few) is the image she presents in relation to sex offenders. This is the population I work with now- and I consider part of my life's work to be to dispell the myths relating to this population, and work to change opinions in the general public in order to make reintegration easier.


In the United States, Oprah is the most powerful woman- in terms of public opinion, I would even argue that she is more popular than the president. With this power that she holds, when she goes on television and portrays all sex offenders are dirty, inherently evil, and bound to reoffend (she said that after a first sexual offence, no matter what it is- they should be indefinitely incarcerated). I can understand her personal history with this subject- but for someone with absolutely no expertise with this subject to make all these blanket statements, especially when she is revered by the public, is problematic. A main preventative factor relating to reoffending is the person feeling as though they are part of a cohesive community, and forming prosocial relationships. Being ostracized and made to feel as though they are worthless actually makes the person more likely to reoffend, and this is the behaviour that I feel Oprah is promoting to the general public by the way she talks about the situation on her show.


On a completely different note- I know now that my mom, the O-lover *shudder* has the book, and I'll probably pilfer it on my next visit. If anything the controversy surrounding this book is making me more likely to read it, as before I wasn't necessarily all that interested.


*amber*Edited by: crimgoddess

[ontariogirl]

I am thinking of buying it. The guy had problems with drug abuse, with his book it helped a lot of people. He changed how his friend Lilly killed herself, the jail time and the dentist. The rest is his true account of what he went through.
I agree, the controversy will make people more likely to read it.

[crystalmom]

The dentist part is under what I would call improvised. All he said on Oprah was that he wrote it as he remembered it, and then later found out that the way he remembered it may not be the way it really happened.


I am upset about the lie about Lily. I would like to know if she was real and if so, where is she now, and what happened with her!


Crystal

[samara's on tv]

I don't like Oprah...and I agree with what Crimgoddess said about her view on Sex offenders. I probably won't be picking up the book any time soon.


~Monica