The Lie Behind A Million Little Pieces James Frey’s Memoir of Lies

The whole world sat up and took notice of James Frey, who published books that he claimed were memoirs of the life that he had lived.  A Million Little Pieces and its sequel, My Friend Leonard, were books that James Frey filled with horrifying details of alcoholism, drug use, violence, and other criminal behavior.  Readers of these books were drawn into the terrible world of James Frey and the terrifying acts that he had committed… and lived to tell about.

Oprah Winfrey added to the hype of James Frey and his books by placing them on her Book Club reading list.  She hosted shows with James Frey as the only guest so that he could detail the books for an audience of millions.  James Frey claimed that every occurrence in his books was real and factual, except that he had changed names to protect people.  Because of this openness, James Frey and his books received worldwide attention, earned him millions of dollars, and inspired other alcoholics and criminals to shape up.

The world was rocked when The Smoking Gun began reporting that James Frey filled his books with inaccurate information.  It seems that James Frey elaborated on several events in his past and fabricated hundreds of others.  People that knew James Frey during the years the books are set claim that he was no more trouble than any other person.  James Frey does certainly have a history of alcohol and drug abuse, but the more outrageous claims in the book have been summarily debunked. 

To date, Oprah Winfrey has withdrawn her endorsement of the books, and James Frey and his books have been labeled a sham. However, they are still worth reading for their inspirational value. Read them for yourself and see what you think.