Truth or not, I still enjoyed it! (A Million Little Pieces - James Frey)

Member Name: Emmamac1

Product:	A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
Date:	03/07/09 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gives you an insight into rehab

Disadvantages: May not all be true.....

This book has brought about lots of controversy, mainly due to people questioning whether it is true or not. The author James Frey, has admitted to fabricating some of his autobiography.

I had no idea about the debates, arguments and discussions which the book has invoked, and thus read it with an open mind.

The book is about James Frey, a 23 year old drug, alcohol and substance abuser. He took anything to keep high. The book begins with James, having been battered, being sent back to his parents, who place him into rehab. His addictions were soon likely to kill him if he did not stop. He went into rehab with no positive thoughts. James Frey was a total mess.

A Million Little Pieces explains his time in rehab, what he went through to get 'clean', and the people he met and bonded with. Slowly he comes to accept his addictions and goes into recovery, but will never follow the Twelve Step Program, which he feels is too religious. He forms a close bond with a group of men led by Leonard (a gangster figure) and develops a relationship (which is forbidden in the centre) with a drug addict called Lilly. James Frey also starts to forgive his wealthy parents and accepts them into his life again.

It is quite graphic in places, especially his trips to the dentist, involving root canals with no anesthetic, and his vomiting when detoxing!

The book was easy to read but quite repetitive in places. The way it is written, with no speech marks, does take a while to get use to. The book has been fabricated and maybe elaborated, but obviously some is true. I did enjoy it and still found it an interesting, thought provoking read.

Summary: It is a good read.