Frey's follies
This story just keeps getting better and better. Random House is offering a refund to the 3.5 million readers who bought James Frey’s book A Million Little Pieces, after revelations that his memoir about his drug abuse and prison stints was mostly bogus.This massive “recall of books” is unprecedented in the annals of book publishing history! One can only imagine how many complaints R.H. received from outraged readers to prompt this action on their part.
Obliviously R.H. is trying to distance itself from Frey and the allegations which stemmed from a recent article from The Smoking Gun’s six weeks investigation, which stated that Frey purposely embellished his story after 17 unsuccessful attempts to sell it to various publishers.
Oprah Winfrey, who played a pivotal role in making A Million Little Pieces a runaway bestseller (second only to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), called in on Larry King’s Wednesday night show with Frey as a guest.
She stated, “I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces, because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book falls within, and also the authenticity of the work... the underlying message of redemption in James Frey’s memoir still resonates with me, and I know it resonates with millions of other people who have read this book.”
Perhaps Oprah is defending him, but Hollywood is not. All plans on turning his bestseller into a movie has been put on hold. That is of course unless they change the story from a man who had the courage and the will to rise above drug abuse and corruption, to the man who tried to con the world with a fictional story peddled as fact.
We Bitches are incensed by Frey’s actions because we worry of what is to become to all those drug abusers who looked to Frey’s story as inspiration to clean up their own act. And what about Frey’s sobriety? We know that if we were under this much scrutiny, we would have a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand with a fistful of Valiums in the other.
We don’t wish Frey any ill will if he is innocent of these accusations, but if this story turns out to be true—that he is a big fat fucking liar and “embellished” his story in order to sell books, make money and gain notoriety—then we will be sending him a case of Stoli and hope that he chokes on his own vomit.
Frey, books are scared, motherfucker. Drink up.
Labels: bibliophile’s affair, mctv
http://www.randomhouse.com/trade/publicity/index.html
This is a link to Random House news release. They are NOT offering a refund for A MILLION LITTLE PIECES unless the book was purchased directly from them.
1/12/2006 02:33:00 PM
According to the 6pm news, central time, there have been a whopping 24 requests for refunds.
Personally, I thought the basis of the book was credible concerning the time spent in rehab and overcoming a drug and alcohol problem outside of the 12 step program.
In Frey's book he faced many more problems than this. If you'd read it you might know that he didn't start drinking or drugging after that and probably won't after this either.
1/12/2006 09:03:00 PM
This is why I love fiction and am stickin to it!
Oh, while I'm here...
Whats with the funky letters I have to copy everytime I comment. I don't mind, I just wondered why they do it. I don't get it!
Signed, Clueless Blog Commentor
1/12/2006 10:54:00 PM
Hey Ann!
Me too. I've never been into non-fiction. Well, i haven't encontered one i really like yet..
No clue about the funky letters too. LOL Am challenged with these things. LEt's ask Trollop or Tart. :D
1/12/2006 11:10:00 PM
Well, that makes sense.
Thanks!
1/13/2006 09:50:00 AM
Well, that makes sense.
Thanks!
1/13/2006 09:50:00 AM
Either way, as Oprah says, it's the story of redemption that captured her attention.
How many movies or biographies that are based on true events are distorted or embellished for the betterment of the article? It happens all the time. Even in politics.
I say, if you're curious, read it. One of a book's many purposes, whether fact or fiction, is to enlighten, educate, or entertain. From what I've heard it does this.
1/17/2006 01:52:00 AM
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1/17/2006 01:52:00 AM
My problem is, the guy is a big fat lier! Of course, most druggies are, sad but true. And it's not an embellishment to say you spent 3 months in prison when you didn't, and then to say the police came down on you when a girl was tragically killed in a train wreck?! How disgusting that he needed to glamourize that and insert himself into someone else's real life tragedy. Who knows when he is telling the truth and when he is not? People like that should not be rewarded with fame, money, and adoration. His only reward for getting clean should be the satisfaction of staying that way. Making a career of being a lier is not a step up in the world.
1/17/2006 04:14:00 PM
Today's (January 26) Oprah is about "The Man Who Conned Oprah"---she says she has a million little questions. It should be interesting.
1/26/2006 04:48:00 PM
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