Milk Without Cookies

Well, I finally had to see what all the fuss was about and read James Frey's A Million Little Pieces. His is a disturbing, powerful account of addiction that includes graphic images of the physical consequences he suffered and a horrifying look into the world of Alcoholics, Drug Addicts, and Criminals.

Readers hear Frey's mantra of self loathing, "I am an Alcoholic. I am a Drug Addict. I am a Criminal," as he detoxes, against his will at first in the legendary Hazeldon rehab center in Minnesota. We watch his parents come to grips with the suffering of their son, and the pain of the knowledge of his extremely destructive lifestyle. At Hazeldon (though Frey never reveals the name of the clinic until after the book's publication) we meet Frey's ironic cronies that include a mafia boss, a New Orleans judge, and his true love, Lily, the crack-whore with a heart of gold.

From page 1 of this book I was gripped. I cried for James Frey, for his parents, and for addicts everywhere. "Is this possible?" I wondered. How can there be people who actually live like this?

After devouring the hefty hardback in just a couple of days, I then allowed myself to read The Smoking Gun's Report revealing the inconsistencies in Frey's personal memoirs. In short, TSG calls into question Frey's criminal record, the idea that he has ever spent any time in any jail for more than 24 hours (a key point in the conclusion of the story), and most disturbingly Frey's memory of the death of one of his high school classmates.

We were talking with Kyle & Erika over the weekend about Frey, and the merits of his book in regard to its truth. Kyle seemed to say that what was most important was that it is well-written, which I agree with mostly.

I suppose all the controversy arose when James is on Oprah, and everyone is crying to him about how his book has changed their lives. I wonder if that is what he intended, or if he just wanted to tell his story as he remembers it. Frey WAS in rehab. He was an addict, and God-willing, he continues in his recovery for over a decade now, and I pray for his entire life.

Overall, I have to say that I recommend this book, if for no other reason, than for everyone to have the chance to form his or her own opinion of the book's merit both from a literary standpoint and from the social importance of books like this.