Thursday, April 23, 2009

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey


Overview:
This is a controversial "memoir" that tells the story of a 23 year old alcoholic and drug abuser and how he copes with rehabilitation in a Twelve Step oriented treatment program.


My Review:

After all the Oprah hype I never bothered reading this book. There was just too much publicity regarding the book for me to be able to read it at the time without it tainting the experience for me. That being said, a few weeks ago a friend recommended it to me. I have to say I was quite impressed with the book. While it may not all be a completely accurate portrayal of Frey's life it didn't need to be to make an impact on someone's life. The writing is amazing and from the first moment you are sucked into Frey's addiction and recovery process. Having dealt with people who have addictions in my personal life, I can relate to this book. I have to admit I have never seen someone in as rough shape as Frey seemed to be but addiction is addiction and as shown in the book it doesn't matter who you are, whether it be a criminal, a judge, a mobster, or a father, addiction can affect your life and can alter the way you view the world. I was impressed that someone had the courage to not only admit they have a problem and try to conquer them but that they decided to do it on their terms and their way. While this may not work for everyone, Frey seemed to have a good idea of his self and his recovery. I also admire his courage for writing the memoir regardless of if parts were altered or not. I give this book 4 out of 5.

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