A Million Little Pieces is a book by James Frey, originally sold as a memoir and then marketed as semi-fictive novel following allegations of literary forgery. It tells the story of an alcoholic and a 23-year-old drug addict and how he endeavors with rehabilitation at a twelve-step treatment center. Although originally promoted as a memoir, it was later discovered that many of the events described in the book never took place.
Video A Million Little Pieces
Summary
The wounded James awakens on an airplane to Chicago, without remembering his injuries or how he ended up on the plane. He was picked up by his parents at the airport, who took him to a rehab clinic. We know that James is 23 years old, and has been an alcoholic for ten years, and a junkie addict for three. He was also wanted by police in three different states on several charges.
When he examined the rehabilitation clinic, he was forced to stop his substance abuse, a transition that we found later might save his life, but also a very torturous event. As part of this, he was forced to undergo a series of painful root canals, without any anesthesia because of possible negative reactions to drugs. He overcame the pain by squeezing the tennis ball until his nails were cracked (when challenged on this particular incident during his second appearance), Frey said that it may have been "more than one" procedure root canal and may or may not include Novocaine, as he remembers it).
This book follows Frey through a painful experience that leads to the eventual liberation from the center, including his participation in the family clinic program with his parents, although his strong desire is not. Throughout the novel, Frey talks about the "Fury" he opposed, which he saw as the cause of his desire to drink alcohol and use drugs. The "Fury" can be seen as a novel antagonist, as he believes that he will not be able to recover until he learns to ignore it or "kill it".
Frey meets many interesting people in the clinic, with whom she forms relationships and who plays an important role in her life both during and after her time in the clinic. These people include mafia bosses who play an important role in his recovery (the subject of Frey's subsequent book My friend Leonard ), and a female drug addict with whom he falls in love, despite strict rules prohibiting relationships between men and women in the clinic. James finally recovered and never relapsed.
An important feature of Pieces is the lack of quotes to indicate direct quotes or dialogs. Instead, a new line begins every time someone speaks. The fact that the author uses this same style to show his internal thinking, often interspersed between direct dialogue from himself and others, gives this book a unique and sometimes confusing writing style, supposedly reflecting the nature of his experience at the treatment center. Frey often uses this flow awareness writing technique, which is intended to allow the reader to better understand his version of events. Frey's unique writing style also involves the use of capital letters throughout the book for reasons that are not clear. Frey also uses heavy word repeats throughout the text.
Maps A Million Little Pieces
Reception
The book was released on April 15, 2003, by Doubleday Books, a division of Random House, and received mixed feedback. While some critics, such as Pat Conroy, praised the book, calling it "War and Peace addicted", others were not impressed by the appalling nature of the book and the overall attitude of Frey that set the tone for the book. For example, critic Julian Keeling, a recovering addict, stated that "Frey's style tactics are irritating... none of this makes the reader feel good about her". Also, author Heather King says that "A Million Little Pieces rings wrong".
Poet and writer John Dolan vigorously criticized the book, saying:
- Frey sums up his whole life in one sentence from p. 351 of the 382 page memoir: "I took money from my parents and I spent it on drugs." Given the simplicity and familiarity of the story, you may be wondering what Frey did on the other 381 pages. The story itself is simple: he underwent rehab at an expensive private clinic, with his parents lending bills. There he is. 400 pages hanging around the rehab clinic.
He is also scathing about the style of writing, which he describes as "the imminent imminent imitation of Hemingway style", and calls it a "novel" several times.
In September 2005, the book was chosen as Oprah's Oprah Book option, and soon became the number one non-fiction non-fiction book on Amazon.com, and topped the list of Best Sellers of the New York Times during fifteen years. week straight. On January 28, 2006, it has fallen to number four on the Amazon.com list with the following selection of Winfrey, Elie Wiesel's Night, by taking over the top spot.
The book received international attention in January 2006 after it was reported that it contained fabrication and was not, as originally represented by the author and publisher, a truly factual memoir.
In October 2017, it was announced that director Sam Taylor-Johnson and actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson were working on a film adapted from the novel.
Controversy
After a six-week investigation, The Smoking Gun published an article on January 8, 2006, entitled "A Million Little Lies". The article describes the fabrication in Frey's account of his drug abuse experience, his life, and his criminal record. According to CNN, The Smoking Gun Editor , William Bastone, said "the probe was requested after the Oprah show aired". He further stated, "We originally set out to just find a picture of his mug... It basically started a series of events that started with us having trouble finding this person's booking photo".
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has questioned James Frey's claim in early 2003. Frey replied later by saying, "I never deny I have changed the small details."
The notable story about Random House, the publisher of A Million Little Pieces , decided to give a full refund to anyone who had purchased the book directly. According to Gawker.com reports, customers can claim money if they really feel cheated by Frey.
In an article detailing the book, Frey was quoted as saying he "stands beside the book as an essential truth in my life". However, on January 26, 2006, Frey once again appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and this time acknowledged that the same "Demons" that had made him switch to alcohol and drugs also encouraged him to make parts- the "memoirs" section; was first discarded as a novel but was rejected by many, including Random House itself. Winfrey tells Frey that he feels "totally fooled" but, "more importantly, I feel that you are betraying millions of readers." He also apologized for the previous phone statement to Larry King Live during Frey's performance on the show on January 11, 2006 that what matters is not the truth of Frey's book, but its value as a therapeutic tool for addicts. He said, "I leave the impression that the truth is not important." During the show, Winfrey interrogated Frey about everything from the number of root canals he had to the whereabouts of his girlfriend, Lilly. Winfrey then issued Frey publisher Nan Talese to defend his decision to classify the book as a memoir, and forced Talese to admit that he did nothing to verify the book's truth, despite the fact that his representatives had assured the Winfrey staff that the Book it is indeed non-fiction and describes it as "very honest" in the press release.
David Carr of the New York Times wrote, "Both Mr. Frey and Ms. Talese are whipped into two like dry winter twigs." "Oprah annihilates Frey," said Larry King. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd writes, "It is a relief, after our national slide slide is incorrect and has no consequences, being swiftboating and swift bucks, into delusions and denials W., to see Empress of Empathy coldly calling a person responsible for a lie ", and the Washington Post" Richard Cohen was so impressed by the confrontation that he named Winfrey "Mensch of the Year." All Winfrey's reaction, as well as a video clip of his interview with Frey, found on his book club website.
On January 13, 2006, Steven Levitt, one of the authors of the book Freakonomics, stated in his blog that, after searching the data center for the death details of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he was unable to identify a suitable death with Frey's description of the "Lilly" death state, Frey's alleged boyfriend in the book. After Frey got into Winfrey that he had changed Lilly's suicide method in the book from cutting his wrist to hanging, on January 27, 2006, Levitt noted on his blog that he again could not find the recorded death consistent with the description of Frey's revision. As Levitt stated,
- "Frey's main defense is to say that its criminal history is a small part of this book and this inconsistency does not substantively change the meaning of the story.Of course, its criminal history is the only thing that makes it a weapon. really seeing.Given that almost nothing is checked, it does not bode well for the truth of the rest of the book. "
Reaction controversy
Book publishers, Doubleday and Anchor Books, were originally founded by Frey, but further examination of the evidence ultimately led to publishers changing their stance. They released a statement stating, "When the Smoking Gun report came up, our first response, remembering that we were still studying the facts of the matter, was to support our writers.Since then, we have questioned him about the allegations and unfortunately have come to realize that a number of facts have been changed and incidents are decorated. "As a result, the publisher decides to include the publisher's notes and author's notes from Frey as a disclaimer for inclusion in future publications. According to sources at the company, there was some disagreement among editors in the publishing house about Mr. authenticity. Frey, but the early dissenters have been silenced by the commercial success of the book, both before and after Oprah.
Random House issued a statement about the controversy. He notes that the future editions of the book will contain notes from publishers and Frey on the text, as well as prominent notations on the cover and on their website regarding additions. On September 12, 2006, Frey and publisher Random House, Inc. reach a temporary legal settlement, where readers who feel they have been tricked by Frey A Million Little Pieces will be offered a refund. To receive a refund, the customer must submit a proof of purchase, part of the book itself (page 163 of the cover of the cover or a front cover of the novel), and complete a sworn statement indicating that they bought the book assuming it was a memoir.
In Frey's note to readers, to be included in the upcoming book edition, he apologizes for making parts of his book and for making himself appear "tougher and braver and more aggressive than in me, or me." He added,
- "People overcome difficulties in various ways, very personal ways. [...] My mistakes [...] write about the person I created in my mind to help me overcome, and not the experienced person that experience. "
Frey admits that he has literary reasons for his making, too:
- "I want the stories in this book to flow and flow, to have a dramatic bow, to have the tension that all big stories require."
Nevertheless, he defended the memoiris's right to exploit their memories, not only on documented facts, in creating their memoirs. In addition, Frey has discussed the controversy and stated his argument on his blog.
Shortly after Frey returned to the Oprah Winfrey show, the Brooklyn Public Library went as far as Frey's books recommend as fiction, though it seems most other libraries have not followed it yet. The Best Seller List New York Times is still included in the Paperback Nonfiction List as of September 2006.
Apart from this controversy, this book has been published in twenty-nine languages ​​worldwide and has sold over 5 million copies. The majority of these sales came after Oprah announced it as the new Oprah Book Club book.
On January 18, 2006, Marty Angelo, prison minister and author of Once Life Matters: A New Beginning, came to defend James Frey in a press release. While Angelo does not justify the inclusion of fictitious elements in a book marketed as non-fiction, he states, "The controversy surrounding recent allegations that Frey adorns some of his statements in his book is relatively small compared to the facts claimed by this man. the biggest hurdle in his life - substance abuse - that's the bottom line. "
"Currently the media seem to be attacking the envoys negatively instead of concentrating on promoting a positive message of redemption..." Angelo added. "In terms of the benefits to the reader as a self-help book, the message is the main problem, not the details of a small story.Someone needs to stay focused on what the real message is - overcoming addiction."
On July 28, 2007, at a Texas literature convention, Nan Talese spoke of Oprah Winfrey as "cruel and self-serving" and had had a "more holy attitude than" and "very bad behavior" during Winfrey's debate with Talese and James Frey on January 26, 2006. Talese says he and Frey are led to believe that the event will be a panel discussion on "Truth in America". Just before the air time, both Talese and Frey were told the topic of the event had been changed to "The James Frey Controversy", so the ambush began. Talese stated that Oprah needs to apologize for her behavior on the show. But Joyce Carol Oates said, "This is a contentious ethical issue with convincing arguments from both sides, and in the end, Oprah Winfrey must defend her own ethical truth standards on her television program, which is her bravery." Talese has no regrets about publishing Frey A Million Little Pieces and commenting that the book has great value for anyone who has to deal with a loved one who is an addict.
Movie adaptation
The film version directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson was announced, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson starring.
References in popular culture
- Using the pseudonym James Pinocchio, screenwriter and ghost author Pablo Fenjves wrote the A Million Little Lies parody book. This book was published in 2006.
- The story of A Million Little Pieces is parodied in Season 10, Episode 5 of South Park entitled "A Million Little Fibers". In the episode, the character Towelie writes memoirs about his life in which he describes himself as a human being, not as a towel and draws criticism from Oprah and the media.
- Referenced in episode Become Erica "Gettin 'Wiggy Wit It", in which author Seth Newman is exposed as a fake while trying to publish The Purple Door as a memoir about leaving deviant sect, when in fact he was an Orthodox Jew.
- Referenced at It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 4, episode 9 "Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life", where Dennis, Mac, and Frank have to recreate a fake event outside the rehab clinic with stigmata) in Dennis's memoir, so he does not "... end up like that Million Little Pieces guy".
- Referenced in Gossip Girl season 5, episode 4 "Memoirs of An Invisible And", in which Blair Waldorf refers to Dan Humphrey's book as "a memoir disguised as a novel, as James Frey reversed".
- Songs and singles of the same name by the British alternative rock band Placebo are the 6th song of the band's seventh studio album, Loud Like Love , released on September 16, 2013. The song was released as a single on July 4, 2014.
- The TV series The Affair is referencing this novel in Season 2, Episode 8.
- In the 2016 film True Memoirs of an International Assassin , the protagonist, played by Kevin James, was frightened compared to Frey after his novel was published and marketed as fact (titular "original memoir")) without his consent.
See also
- Fake scrap
References
External links
- James Frey's Website and Blog [1] The
- Age Age (02/2006) column denounces poor Oprah branding
- A Million Little Embellishments: Truth and Trust in Advertising and Publishing, Knowledge @ Wharton (requires login)
- A Million Little Pieces on IMDb
- A Piece of Millions Lying Parody
- " Minneapolis Star Tribune (01/2006) Frey acknowledges the inaccuracies in the book". Archived from the original on January 14, 2006.
- Oprah Grand Delusion Washington Post
- The Smoking Gun (01/2006)
Reviews
- Kirkus's review
- PopMatters Reviews
- Reviews by Jules Siegel published in April 2003
- Syntax of Review It
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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