hey all of you out there that think james Frey is not telling the trueth, maybe you should all read the book again and take a better look at the story. I am a child of terrible abuse and addiction, parents, siblings, grandparents, the list is endless, my brother at the age of 12 started using drugs. and now he is 38, just got out of prison for drug abuse, when asking him if he can remember things about his addictions and times (I say TIMES) he spent in jails, prison, on drugs to many to mention he tells me yes to most of it and that if he had to write a book about it he would and that he wishes not to because all of that is in the past and he wants to look to his future in a different light then drugging up all that crap. So, to all of you who dissbelieve. I think your just pissed cause you didn't write the book first and that your idea's werent best sellers. find someone or something else to b**** about and or get off the damn drugs yourselfs. James found a better way, why ( as people of the same or similar happinings) should you think you have a right to judge him because he remembers. Don't you think that that is punishment enouph without critics like all of YOU!!!!!!!!
Rosie in all due respect, by his own admission he embellished and didn't tell the truth on some things in his book, so it would sell. This came from his mouth.
He tried to market it as fiction, it didn't sell, hence he remarketed it as a true story.
Or google it, tons of information on it. I do not take the media's word for anything, unless they have sources to back it up. They did.
The point is, not that it isn't a good read, but to deceive the public to make a buck, is wrong period.
Read this. He was on Larry King last night.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI.../11/lkl.01.html
He tried to market it as fiction, it didn't sell, hence he remarketed it as a true story.
Or google it, tons of information on it. I do not take the media's word for anything, unless they have sources to back it up. They did.
The point is, not that it isn't a good read, but to deceive the public to make a buck, is wrong period.
Read this. He was on Larry King last night.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI.../11/lkl.01.html
I would like to meet one person who never embellished a story they told.
Usually people do so to make themselves appear stronger, smarter, or better in some way, James did the opposite by embellishing to make himself appear more horrible. None of the topics in question have anything to do with the alcohol and drug addictionS that James overcame. I commend him for joining the small percentage of people who make it out of that scene alive, and if he had the brains to look at where he was in life, turn it around and eventually make a buck (or several) from it - more power to him. Let's not forget his constant support to others struggling with the same battles. I don't know the proper definition of a memoir, but I do know that James is helping me, unbeknownst to him, and I'll hold on to that.
Usually people do so to make themselves appear stronger, smarter, or better in some way, James did the opposite by embellishing to make himself appear more horrible. None of the topics in question have anything to do with the alcohol and drug addictionS that James overcame. I commend him for joining the small percentage of people who make it out of that scene alive, and if he had the brains to look at where he was in life, turn it around and eventually make a buck (or several) from it - more power to him. Let's not forget his constant support to others struggling with the same battles. I don't know the proper definition of a memoir, but I do know that James is helping me, unbeknownst to him, and I'll hold on to that.
..all i wanna say is...part of recovery is being honest with others as well as ourselves...i have,nt read the book.(but i,ve read bits and pieces on other websites.).but if he,s saying it,s mostly to do with his time in rehab...why is he lying about the things that happened outside...how do we know what he says about his time in rehab is all the truth...me personally...im off all drugs...and certainly not jealous of someone who fabricated his .story to make money out of his fellow addicts.....ps.....maybe he should publish both his journals..????......robbie.....
Maybe, in good faith he should donate some of the profits to rehabs, clinics, or other organizations that try to help addicts.
And, I'm not sure what his constant support to other addicts is, please elaborate. All, I know is what I have read in the book, seen on Oprah and Larry King and have read in the papers. What kind of constant support is he giving to those struggling with addiction?
And, I'm not sure what his constant support to other addicts is, please elaborate. All, I know is what I have read in the book, seen on Oprah and Larry King and have read in the papers. What kind of constant support is he giving to those struggling with addiction?
read the story on smoking gun.com.
To write about being wanted in 3 states and not be wanted in any is more
than embellishing a story. If you want to write fiction call it a novel
not a memoir.
telling about about fighting and having sex in recovery. Fight the cops and then
proving how tough you are by driving from the rehab to a bar and sticking your nose in booze. Not likely to help others.
I don't find lies very helpful to my recovery .
To write about being wanted in 3 states and not be wanted in any is more
than embellishing a story. If you want to write fiction call it a novel
not a memoir.
telling about about fighting and having sex in recovery. Fight the cops and then
proving how tough you are by driving from the rehab to a bar and sticking your nose in booze. Not likely to help others.
I don't find lies very helpful to my recovery .
As a person who struggled with addiction for many years and now has over 3 years of sobriety, I read James Frey's book with much interest. I can say that as I was reading it, I definitely questioned the accuracy of some of what he was writing, but on the whole I wanted to believe what he was writing. But I took major issue with his constant putting down of AA and other 12-step programs, but these programs have proven to be by far the most effective method of overcoming active addiction and alcoholism. My advice to almost any person trying to get sober would be to pay little attention to what James Frey has to say, for it has little value strictly from a recovery standpoint. While I do commend anybody who is able to overcome these demons, it was obvious in the book that Frey is/was a very angry person who also suffers from a major case of arrogance. To publicly state that addiction is a "weakness" and not a disease does a diservice to everybody, especially those who continue to wreck their lives through drugs and alcohol. I can't help but find it very ironic that as James Frey continues to rail against AA, he probably needs AA more that ever, for AA teaches that one of the most important things to sobriety is self-honesty, something Frey obviously has very little of. For all his outward success in recent years, it means little when we can't look in the mirror and be OK with ourselves. Public acceptance does not equal recovery. As we've learned, James Frey has no recovery, only sobriety. And who knows if even that is true.
I agree with you 100%. If his book has been a ringing endorsement of AA would it have been published or was it because he said that he didn't need it that gave it the extra edge. I think that had he embraced AA he would have had a even harder time finding a publisher. I hope that there are not alot of people out there beating themselves up because they are not strong enough to "Just do it".
HE is admitting now that he exaggerated many things in the book. The b******.
For what it's worth, when he was on Larry King he used that eloquent expression "I mean.." anbout 23 times and the word "recovery" not once.
ok, well I just need to say that I have to let all of us have an opinion about what is mentioned here but think about this ..... James wrote a story about HIS accounts, not mine, not yours, not my mothers, not my ex-husbands, or your husband or wife, ..... he wrote about HIS. And yes people can excape and have sex and be with others, and I know kids that were in rehab that when told about some over the counter cough medicine could make you feel like your on acid they had friends go buy it for them and then took the liquid and threw the bottles on top of the building and were high for time spent in rehab, my ex-husband smoked pot, and drank while in re-hab. He also left and had sex with me (his wife at the time) and there were a couple who hooked up while in treatment that would go out to there car and have sex every day and also a few times in her room.. So yes people can do things they shouldn't in rehabs. It isn't out of line ...I am going to tell you that I live in North Dakota, you may think we don't have very good services here but some of the counselors have gone to peoples homes and helped them while in trouble... I myself had an addiction counselor come to my home and help me get to the hospital, not for addiction but I was having anxiety attacks terrible when my ex got out of treatment due to his lack of useing the program he just left and continued to being high and drunk every day.. she came to my home confronted him and took me out of the house. Not my parents who I called and they wouldn't help me but my ex-husbands IN Treatment Counselor... So saying it is out of line that counselors go out of there way to help people like that is not fare... Being a counselor now myself I would do anything to help people if they ask for it... ANYTHING... I understand that James has said that he used things to make the story more readable but I think anyone does that when writing a true story.. I mean come on do you remeber what you did for christmas and can you tell the story word for word???? Now do it messed up!!!!! I am just saying that I loved the story and that it told people that yes you can get clean and sober and you don't have to use the 12 steps or a higher power to do so.. not all of the world has that or wants it, don't make them bad people cause they don't believe does it.. James just did his part by showing people another way... God Bless him for that I say... Heck look at all of those that say they believe in GOD or a higher power and s*** all over there higher powers... now that is not right.. James addmited he didn't believe and found a way to make himself better without all of the things he was offered. I guess I was looking at all of this with a more open mind and maybe some people don't alow themselves that opportunity.. try it sometime it makes you love people and things a little more... and the word lie, now think about it was it a lie????? I read the book with an open mind and a brother who lived the life similar to james (but worse) and said he thought it was pretty close to real as it comes... Life, is that always real???? depends on how you look at it right... so live life and enjoy. dont be so negative about everything!!!
I feel he was attached because he exposed AA for it destructive attempts to help you become sober. You either drink or you dont. You either want to understand you self talk that got you to that point or you dont. You either are tired of you life as a drug or your not.. AA tells you you are powerless and need a god to help you ... such sillyness. You have all the power to do this.. He was just saying he saw the weakness in the AA program and NO one messes with this programs cause you messing with the religious right. Seeing how it is the only program available though the court system and they will not alow you the right of self determination.. and that AA has such a failure .. I feel that is it time to get the info and educate people about this cult called AA
