 James
Frey’s bestseller A Million Little Pieces is
in the headlines after allegations over the weekend that the
book contains "wholly
fabricated or wildly embellished details of his purported criminal
career, jail terms, and status as an outlaw 'wanted in three
states.'"
Endorsed by Oprah and America’s No.1 bestselling book for months,
Frey’s
book is a memoir of drug addiction that has been compared to William
S. Burroughs’ work, but do you care if it is true or not?
Thank you to everyone who voted in our poll. The results are now
in:
- 67.3% of you said you felt betrayed by Frey, and that a memoir should
not contain fictional information.
- 31% of you had read the book.
- The 69% of you who had not read the book said you "definitely
wouldn't" now.
Some of your comments:
- "I value the truth and am disdainful of people who lie."
- I was under the impression this was a real life experience. I've
read more than half of this book and don't know if I want to even
finish it now. I want to know what is real in this book."
- "As Oprah has promoted this as a true story, and so many people
have looked to it to help them with their own issues, I think the
public has been misled and betrayed."
- "It's a great book, fiction or not."
- "A memoir should be accurate. What’s the point of reading
a non-fiction book if it’s fiction?"
- "Whether he went through drug addiction or not, Frey has written
a phenomenal story that allowed me to imagine a life I have never
been a part of. He's a wonderful writer. A+ for Frey."
- "It really stinks he has ripped people off for the price of the
book. It is unacceptable, and no one should get away with such cheating."
- "Unlike Frey, I take my non-fiction straight. I have looked at
the book a couple of times in bookstores and then put it back down.
It didn't ‘read right’ to me. Now I know why."
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