While I did enjoy this book - I really wish the controversey didn't exist. While I knew about the whole situation before I read the book, I treated it as a novel rather than a biography, so that helped.

I had to give it 3 and a half stars as I did enjoy it quite a lot, however, if 100% true, this easily would have made it to 4 and a half. ( )

The disjointed writing style of this book adds to the story in a way I didn't think it could. The lack of punctuation made it a bit hard, at times, to understand who was talking, but overall it was an effective way of relaying Frey's message. This book has faced a lot of controversy over whether or not it is, in fact, non-fiction. However, considering the truth of the story, I'm not sure if it really matters. Even if this didn't happen to Frey, it could happen to someone. The story is just as real, whether or not it's true. And it's just as touching and scary and heartbreaking even if this never really happened. This book tells of Frey's time in rehab (or maybe not), and of the people he met there, and the person he became there. It's painful to read, and sometimes vividly disgusting, but when you close the back cover, you won't be sorry, or think you wasted your time. Even if it was all lies.

A ridiculously engaging story of overcoming addiction. I had absolutely no interest in the controversy surrounding the book because as far as I'm concerned a good story is a good story. No one can memorialize any aspect of their own lives without personal bias or twist. James' addiction is palpable, and my heart raced right along with his. ( )

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com

This is a terrifying novel about drug and alcohol addiction and rehabilitation. Anyone who has been or is in rehab for anything should be required to read this book. Anyone who has family members in rehab should read this book. Basically, everyone over the age of 14 should have to read this book.

It depicts the horrible tragedy of addiction and how Mr. Frey overcomes it. He knows that he has an addiction problem when he wakes up on a plane not knowing how he got there, where the plane is going, or how he got a broken nose and a hole through his cheek. When the plane lands, he gets off the plane and has his parents drive him to rehab, where he receives detoxification and learns how to control his drinking and drug addictions.

The book is his journey through rehab and how be becomes a better person. There is a lot of vulgarity and things that seem inappropriate but are a must for the story. The language is probably how everyone talked and the extreme drug situations are really what he went through.

There has been a lot of controversy over this book because there are parts that are "embellished" and altered. If you can see though all of that, then this book is truly amazing. I wouldn't suggest reading this book if you are under the age of fourteen due the language and theme of the book. You also might not want to read A MILLION LITTLE PIECES if you have a faint heart or easily get sick to your stomach because there are some extremely graphic scenes in the book. This is one I highly recommend, though. ( )

Good, but James Frey is a loser.

The ending sucked too. ( )

The first part of this book is well done. Frey does describe what it is like to be an addict well. I'm one & I know. After that, it was pure fiction - very dangerous fiction for an addict.From his description, I believe he went to the same treatment center as I did. They would never allow him to run his own program or pull half the crap he said he did. His best thinking & will power got him to treatment. It isn't logical nor part of any reputable treatment plan, to allow the addict to cure himself. If it was, none of us would ever be in a treatment center in the first place. I went there because it was that or death. My mother read the book & said it gave her an insight into my disease she had never had before. Kudos for that. Seriously, I am most thankful & it's the only reason this didn't get a single star. She believed the whole book - I knew most of it was fiction way before Oprah finally got around to saying it. Thumbs down to Oprah on this one - she had to know it too, from her medical expert who supposedly told her well before air time. As for Mr. Frey, he got his moment of fame, probably a lot of money & hopefully he really isn't an addict or it will likely kill him.There are better ways for a loved one to know what it is like to be an addict. If that person won't go to AA, NA or Alanon - if you think this is the only way for them to learn - by all means give them the book. Just rip the last half to 2/3 of it out first. ( )

I've never met anyone who read this and didn't like it. I can understand why, too. I couldn't put it down, and I simply adored the writing. I'm really thankful that James stuck to his guns and didn't start believing in God or the Twelve Steps. That was the one thing I kept thinking throughout the whole book: "please don't find God". That would have ruined it. But he never did, so the story was fantastic. I love books dealing with drugs/addiction, memoirs especially, so this was a treat.

Full review: http://faerytalemalice.blogspot.com/2... ( )

I know everyone probably says this now, but as I read this the day after Oprah recommended it, I thought...this is so far fetched. I believe in poetic license, but COME ON. It's soOoOoOO over-the-top unbelieveable, and a slap in the face to folks who suffer true abuse from their parents or captors or others in their lives. ( )

Whatever anyone says about this book, it remains to be the most beautiful and memorable book I've ever read. ( )

Traumatic,controversial,heart breaking ( )

James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces is a gripping memoir about time spent in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. Sometimes through stream of consciousness, sometimes with a Tourettes-like repetition, Frey’s writing takes us deep into the self-loathing, pain and eventually hopes that he experienced. His portrayals of fellow patients, staff and his family members were heartbreakingly real. This was the best memoir of addiction and recovery that I have read. ( )

Trapped in a long car ride with NOTHING else to listen to for endless hours - I was determined to add this DAMNABLE crappy book to my statistics books finished reading in 2009. What HELL. I've never been so happy to get home in my life. Way back in the mists of time I listed my very first book finished -- "FUN WITH DICK & JANE". See Dick, see Jane. See Dick run. See Jane run. See Dick run fucking faster and faster and faster and faster. Jane looks at Mother and Father. Father sees fucking Puff. Mother pats fucking Spot.
Oprah - how could you enable this ___________[there just are no words] to sell millions of bucks worth of this shit. Readers - it is impossible to conceive that you can really mean it deserves more than the 1/2 star rating I gave it -- I gave it just to pull his average down (it would be nice to enable a minus 10,000 stars). I even checked out PROFESSIONAL reviewers online & this tree-wasting typing exercise (so-called "book") was actually considered with some seriousness. The only part worth wasting a twig of a sapling were the bits of the Tao. And in this foul outhouse of a context it gets lost. Perhaps this is a story that should be told, but only by a ghostwriter. I never thought I could hate a book this much (as I say, I had nothing else to listen to & thought maybe that I should go bottomfeeding just once in my reading life).
I'm in a fury a fury a fury a fury it is growing and building and building and growing and I know the fury is building and that it is growing.

End of wasting one more speck of time on this travesty.

Now back to some sanity :) with Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" ( )

I did not like the lack of punctuation in this book at all. Also, tagged it as "fiction". Enough said. ( )

You can find my review here:
http://bookworm-meags222.blogspot.com... ( )

I enjoyed the story, but it was difficult to get past the lack of punctuation and other horrible grammatical things. And, when I read it, there was already talk about Frey having exaggerated some points, so I decided to look at it as fiction. I think that is an important thing to do if you decide to read this. ( )

Interesting read. This book rejects the Twelve step program and makes getting "straight" the addict's responsibility. ( )

When you pick up this book and read the first word, you are lost in James' world through his time at rehab. Meaningful and funny and sad and alive and true and painful. ( )

A quick read. I enjoyed Jame's lyrical writing style. I really didn't care Oprah disowned this book , or that some parts were embellished, it was an interesting story. Some parts where to graphic for me to read, particularly the scene where he has dental work done without any painkillers. I enjoyed reading about the relationships built with the other patients and their life stories. Unfortunately I did not find the book very climatic and felt the end fall flat. ( )

To date the most disappointing book I've read has been A Million Little Pieces. I understand that James Frey isn't known for being a gifted author... (read more) ( )

I never paid attention to the hype about this book back when it was abuzz. I wanted to read this book just because it's an Oprah Book Club book. Only after I finished it did I go and read about the scandal.
I thought this book was pretty good. Kind of depressing, though. I probably wouldn't read it again. Some parts were hard to believe. ( )

I loved this book! I hate people who judge the author (especially if they haven't read it) James Frey changed details to protect the identity of others and purposely showed how the mind of a drug addict doesn't always remember everything accurately. TEAM FREY!! ( )

Didn't finish it. Had a hard time getting into it and then found out he was a fraud anyway. ( )

Most irritating Use of unnecessary Capitals since the Eighteenth Century. This must have driven the Editor completely Insane. It is also driving Me Insane. There is a Plethora of inventive and graphic Description of vomiting, as well as of the actual Vomitus. Nevertheless, and despite the Fact that it is not entirely Factual, I am finding it oddly compelling.

In a choppy and fragmented style he recounts a journey through addiction and failed recovery attempts. ( )

Regardless of how much of this story is true and how much of this story is fabricated, it is still a raw, terse tale of the fight against addiction. ( )