A Million Little Pieces / James Frey

RATINGS

Overall: 2.5 / 5 stars

Text Level: Easy

Entertainment: High

Self-Help: Medium

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Psychology, Biography Memoir, Mental Health, Substance Abuse

Page Count: 448

Is this book right for my inmate and me?

If you have struggled with addiction and failed the A.A. program multiple times to relapse, this book offers an alternative approach based on inner will power.

Buy on: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Review By: Blackbird (Inmate)

A story of anger at the failed attempts for sobriety by individuals as they search for a new path towards life.

This is a painful story to read. It is not for the faint of heart. The main character is not likable and the pages are filled with anger, sorrow and frustration. This story is about addiction, and has no real heroes to cheer for. However, within these gritty pages of drug abuse, alcoholism, and sexual abuse, there is hope. Hope for love, faith and the possibility of self-change to have a successful life. If the reader can make it through the chapters of violence, sickness and abuse, there is a chance to reflect on what your own lift can be, and how you can fight past your own addictions.

James Frey leads readers through a memoir of his life of addiction. Waking up with a broken nose and his front teeth knocked out, he finds himself forced into rehab by his family. This story is about his struggles to find a program that works to help him gain sobriety.

Frey’s writing is filled with colorful graphic details that make the readers feel that they are experiencing them with him. He pull no punches of what drug addiction is, and how brutal it is to kick the habit. He searches for his emotional connections to his multiple addictions and realizes his life of anger and rage play a major role of his current struggles. Dealing with multiple arrests and destroyed relationships because of alcohol and drug abuse, many inmates can see themselves in his writings.

One issue I found troubling in this book is Frey’s arrogance and rejection of anything that wasn’t what he thought might help him. Many times he worked to derail others’ sobriety because he was driven by his preset agenda of what he thought was best. Often he rejects the idea that addiction has multiple layers in his attempts to almost brag to the reader about how mentally strong he is. He dismisses faith as a valid option for help, while at the same time preaching from religious books and principles that helped him change. This leads to the reader feeling frustrated, as it feels often that this book was written to show off, versus truly help others. One especially troubling fact is that even thought this book is filled with the dark realities of drug addiction, many parts written by Frey had been exposed to have been made up, and not truly were his story of his own journey.

In all I would recommend this book for anyone suffering addiction. This book would be extra valuable for those that have failed the A.A. 12 steps program, and are looking for a different approach. It can bring hope and a new path if you are willing to keep an open mind to use all the tools available for your health.