The writing style can be irritating . . . . and a lot of the 'autobiography' is a lie
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
=== Introduction ===
I love reading autobiographies, and I particularly enjoy reading about other peoples' experiences with mental health problems, and drug and alcohol addictions. Perhaps I find that reading about other peoples' misery makes me feel better about my own life. Perhaps I also like the sense of optimism at the end of these books where the author ultimately gets their life back on track and manages to write a book about their past experiences. Perhaps in a way I'm doing research for when I write about my own experiences!
Most of the stuff on my Amazon recommended book list ends up there in error - trying to encourage me to buy children's books due to the fact that I have purchased so many books about moose. This is because I'm obsessed with moose, not because I'm a child. Anyway, interspersed between "Alan the Alpaca meets an Aardvark" and "Ollie the Ostrich goes to the dentist" was "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. I was drawn to it because it's an autobiographical account of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. I didn't buy the book - instead I mooched it from BookMooch, so only paid for it in posting away to other people books that I no longer want.
The controversy surrounding the book
Before I started reading the book I was already aware that there was some controversy surrounding it. Basically, since the book was published in 2003, it has come to light that certain aspects of the story are fabricated, and even Frey has admitted that certain parts have been embellished. More about this can be found at the following link and it makes interesting reading - I would recommend that it is read after reading the book (it will make more sense then):
A publisher's note has been included in subsequent editions of the book - however my edition is one published in 2004 with an "Oprah's Book Club" sticker on it. My copy is 430 pages and is a US edition.
So, now we've got that out of the way, onto the book!
The Story
James Frey was 23 when he was admitted into rehab following an incident which left him with a hole in his cheek, a broken nose, no front teeth, and not knowing where the hell he had been for the past few weeks. Frey admits throughout the book that he is "an Alcoholic and I am a drug Addict and I am a Criminal." The book looks at how he has got to this stage and how he deals with getting away from it.
James goes through the withdrawal process - there are some very graphic descriptions of this time, particularly of his physical sickness. There were times I found myself cringing, and feeling sick myself. I did also find some things a bit hard to believe (although of course that might be because they are not true). I would hope that someone who is that physically ill would be given some sort of care rather than being expected to carry on going to three meals a day in the dining hall and cleaning the group toilets - especially in such an exclusive and expensive rehab centre.
Addicted to crack cocaine and alcohol, James has had problems with addiction since the age of 10, gradually getting worse and worse. He comes from a privileged middle-class background, and there isn't really a clear reason underlying his problems. Mind you, I can relate to that on a personal level - my depression, self-injury and alcohol problems have not really had a clear reason behind them, they have just happened. James makes so much of a point saying how much everything that has happened is his fault and that he deserves to be punished that I get the impression that rather than the usual self-hatred associated with depression, James is actually fishing for sympathy. I have to say I get quite irritated by his character and he can come across as a bit cocky. But at the same time he can be a likeable character. He stands up for what he believes in, and follows his heart.
Through his time at rehab James meets and makes friends with lots of people. In particular his friend Leonard ('My Friend Leonard' is the sequel to this book), who becomes a second father to him, Miles who is a judge, and Matty an ex featherweight world champion. Although it is not allowed for male and female patients to say more than "Hello" to one another, James still manages to develop a relationship and fall in love with a crack addicted whore called Lilly, and that is an important part of the story. Another subplot (if you can call it that) is James' relationship with his family. Most importantly it is about James' relationship with himself and how he comes to terms with his past and looks towards the future.
The thing that makes this book stand out is its unique style. It's difficult to describe the writing style without giving an example - I opened the book on a random page and will share a section with you:
You think you can do that? I nod. Yeah, I can do that. He smiles. You're not gonna fight me on this. I shake my head. No, I'm not going to fight you. You're getting better, Kid. I chuckle. I turn and I look back across the Lake. The mist is gone and the ice diminished, the drip of the icicles quick and heavy. The Sun is up and the Sky is blue empty blue light blue clear blue. I would drink the Sky if I could drink it, drink it and celebrate it and let it fill me and become me. I am getting better. Empty and clear and light and blue. I am getting better." (Page 195)What you'll be able to see from this is:
The lack of speech marks, and lack of distinction between the spoken parts and the non-spoken parts.
The use of capital letters on certain nouns e.g. Kid, Lake, Sun, Sky. This occurs throughout the book - Room, Mother, Unit, Doctor, Group Toilets, Cathedral, People - as you will see mainly when referring to a place or a person.
The repetitiveness ("I am getting better") - the dialogue is very repetitive, and there were times I was reading thinking that I'd already read that line. It was irritating at first (like the capital letters), but as I got into the book it didn't bother me.
Clearly Frey is not a literary genius. In fact it can be quite hard to read at times. There are often no commas where there should be, and I found myself having to read lines twice to understand what they meant (which added to the repetitiveness!) However, his story is gripping, and it is a page-turner, although I was able to put it down and read it over several days rather than in one sitting.
Concluding remarks
I have to say that I am disappointed about the controversy surrounding the book. I don't like the thought of someone making out that something is true when it isn't. However, this is not the first 'autobiography' I have read which has been fabricated. I do think that I have been more critical of the book than I might have been had I read it prior to 2006 when this all came out in the press.
Whatever the truth is, James Frey did have a drink/drugs problem and he was in rehab, and I am certain that it is not a complete work of fiction. Whether or not it is true doesn't alter the fact that the book does give hope for people to overcome problems, and it is a compelling read.
I'm have since read the sequel to the book "My Friend Leonard" and have to say I found it a bit disappointing, and not as enjoyable as this book. I think the events in that had to be taken with an even bigger pinch of salt!
"A Million Little Pieces" is available on Amazon for £5.99.
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