A Million Little Pieces -- James Frey

Phew.

I walk toward a door where a Nurse stands waiting for me.  As I walk past her she is careful not to touch me and I am brought back from the happy afterglow of pachyderm memories and I am reminded of what I am.  I am an Alcoholic and I am a drug Addict and I am a Criminal.  I am missing my four front teeth.  I have a hole in my cheek that has been closed with forty-one stitches.  I have a broken nose and I have black swollen eyes.  I have an Escort because I am a Patient at a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center.  I am wearing a borrowed jacket because I don't have one of my own.  I am carrying two old yellow tennis balls because I'm not allowed to have any painkillers or anesthesia.  I am an Alcoholic.  I am a drug Addict.  I am a Criminal.  That's what I am and I don't blame the Nurse for not wanting to touch me.  If I weren't me, I wouldn't want to touch me.

That passage comes just before James has his four front teeth replaced.  (He lost them when he fell face-first down a fire escape.  His friends found him hours later, crack pipe still in hand).  Two of the teeth only needed to be capped.  The other two required root canals first.  As he said, without anesthesia.  It's one of the most physically painful things I can imagine.  And his description of it is incredible. 

Not surprisingly, the pain doesn't stop there.  It was a hard book to read--but riveting at the same time.  I do think, though, that if I hadn't read the sequel (which I LOVED) first, I would have had a harder time finishing it.  Knowing how things ultimately turned out made reading about his time in rehab (somewhat) easier.  But only somewhat.  It's a powerful book.

Comments

[JoanneMarie]

I've been avoiding this book. I knew I wanted to read it, but when there are so many lovely stories on the shelves, it can be hard to dive into the ugly, naked truth of Mr. Frey's experiences. I like the idea of reading them backwards. If I know things work out kind of okay, I might be better able to plod along through the horrors.

[leila]

It's harsh. But there are wonderful moments, too. Funny bits, but also moments of amazing compassion.

[kimbofo]

It sounds like an amazing book.

Oh-oh. Another tome to add to my always-growing books -to-be-read pile!

[tracy]

Sounds like "Dry" but with more pain. And crime.

[leila]

And less laughs.

[sonny anders]

I couldn't get past the first 5 pages of this self-indulgent tome. I read a great review by a John Dolan that one might want to look over before they waste their time and money on Oprah's "new discovery".

[Leila]

I think that if I'd heard about it through Oprah first, my knee-jerk snobbery would have made me much more critical of the book. (If I even picked it up. As much as I respect the woman for getting people to read, the "O" sticker does have a tendancy to turn me off.)

Since I stumbled across it B.O., I really enjoyed it.

[Katie Alice]

Hey, i read this book, in what i think was the riginal coverm the broken glass bottle?
Anyways it really touched me and i totally connected with it.
It just reminded me of myself (lilly) and my boyfriend at the time, he was a total junkie and i had black hair and really blue eyes, and joined him sometimes.
I was so upset when i read that lilly died i felt like i was feeling all of James' pain.
It was the best book i've ever read and will ever read.
Thankyou James Fray x

[Jayne]

Soo.... I'm reading your book. I really, really, really like it so far!
have one question though, alot of people say it isn't true.
And, did you marry Lilly?
Or, what happened to her?