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As the publisher of a fairly large independent book publishing company, I have been incensed by this whole situation. First I must disclose that I have not read A Million Little Pieces. I did read the Smoking Gun article, and I saw Frey on Larry King Live. It just made me even madder. I had a physical reaction to it - my stomach was in knots, and I didn't know why. So I have come to the following conclusions:
1 - I am pissed at the publisher because they should have done a little more background research. Sure, it is a memoir, and they are claiming that in that genre, they leave it up to the author to fact check. I could not IMAGINE taking that line with any book. Especially one that I am putting significant advertising and publicity dollars behind. I have one of the most highly praised editors in the business, and he is speechless at the inaccuracies. Even after uncovering them, my editor would have insisted on a fairly lengthy and detailed disclaimer - and I would have pushed to call it something entirely different. Maybe "A Book Based on the Life of James Frey" rather than "A Memoir." As a reader it makes me wonder what other "non-fiction" books out there have been so lazily edited.
2 - I have heard and read accounts of readers who say the book "changed their lives." And "If James can do it, I can do it." JAMES DIDN'T DO IT. I'm not saying he didn't have a substance abuse problem. Many people do. But the fact is, he didn't overcome what he said he overcame. His life wasn't as bad as he put it out to be. He didn't spend weeks in prison. He spent hours in the drunk tank. So when people with legitimate problems (like the ones he purported to have) read and take inspiration, that inspiration is based on LIES. It's like reading romance novels and believing that "yes, you too can marry a prince and live happily ever after."
3 - Even James's fiction sucks. WAR AND PEACE?? In prison? With an inmate whose actual name he can't even remember? That bit would have been more believable if he suggested that they read Stephen King or John Grisham. Seriously. Even if James is an educated, well-read man, what are the odds that he finds another educated, well-read "criminal" in jail to enjoy Tolstoy with? And then can't even remember the guy's real name.
4 - There's so much that seems to be financially-driven about all of this. This publicity is selling books, he's selling another "non-fiction" book that has questions as to its authenticity, he's sold the movie rights, and now he's writing novels. He could be giving his money to charities that work with substance abusers - I don't know. But to substantially profit under false pretenses just doesn't seem right. He's spending millions and making big plans for his new empire. From money spent by people thinking they were reading a factual story. I don't begrudge talented authors any cash. I just hope that it is earned.
I just have no tolerance for liars. Even if it is 4% (which is HIS figure - so who can trust that) that is pure fiction, it's an awfully important 4%. Sure, as a writer, he can write whatever he wants and the publisher can publish whatever they want. But without a proper disclaimer, and with repeated denials until he couldn't possibly deny it any longer, I can't take ANYTHING this man says as truth. His appearance on Larry King was pitiful. He kept repeating the same three sentences from his talking points sheet over and over no matter what question Larry asked. He sure didn't come off as a reformed hardass.
But of course this is all my opinion. I've just never had such a reaction to something like I did to this!
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