Random House To Offer Refund on "Pieces"

[wexy]

A lot of people read James Frey's "AMillion Little Pieces." Turns out that he made alot up. Random House is offering refunds to those who feel taken

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/book...eut/index.html

[NYYBombshell]

A lot of people read James Frey's "AMillion Little Pieces." Turns out that he made alot up. Random House is offering refunds to those who feel taken

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/book...eut/index.html

They want a refund for that?! I don't get it.

[corynnmarie]

I've heard that book is awesome. It's too bad some of it's fiction. But I think it's funny they're offering refunds. If it's an entertaining, inspiring piece of literature, who cares if some of it isn't pure fact?

It'll be interesting to see what Oprah has to say about this, though, since it was on her Book Club list.

[SuperMario66]

I've heard that book is awesome. It's too bad some of it's fiction. But I think it's funny they're offering refunds. If it's an entertaining, inspiring piece of literature, who cares if some of it isn't pure fact?

The fact that they are marketing it as a piece of non-fiction. I was planning on starting that book tomorrow. Won't be doing that now.

[silverdsl]

It's long but The Smoking Gun piece that uncovered all the exaggerations and apparent untruths in "Pieces" is worth the read. It's here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...amesfrey1.html. If you have any doubts about what the big deal is read through that. TSG presents quite a bit of evidence including witnesses to events in Frey's book to show that it's more than a few little mistakes or embellishments. Unless Frey has a really good explanation this book no longer belongs on the non-fiction best seller list, imo.

-Deborah

[gdn]

I just read that smoking gun piece. It's fantastic. They've got a lot of evidence that exposes his exaggerations.

As a work of fiction, apparently, it was rejected 17 times.

[yankeebot]

The fact that they are marketing it as a piece of non-fiction. I was planning on starting that book tomorrow. Won't be doing that now.

It is still a really great read.

[NYYBombshell]

The fact that they are marketing it as a piece of non-fiction. I was planning on starting that book tomorrow. Won't be doing that now.

Well then, read it as a work of fiction instead. You can still enjoy the book.

[RhodyYanksFan]

Who is James Frey?

[Kulish29]

...Unless Frey has a really good explanation this book no longer belongs on the non-fiction best seller list, imo.

-Deborah

He did drugs right? Maybe he halucinated what he wrote in the book.

That would be my defense anyway.

[yankeebot]

Mr. Frey will be on Larry King Live tonight. It will be interesting to hear his defense.

[SuperMario66]

Mr. Frey will be on Larry King Live tonight. It will be interesting to hear his defense.

Can anybody recap the interview?

[yankeebot]

I did not see it but you can read a transcript here:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP...11/lkl.01.html

He seems to have a different definition of memoir than you or I probably have.

FREY: Yes. Memoir is within the genre of non-fiction. I don't think it's necessarily appropriate to say I've conned anyone. The book is 432 pages long. The total page count of disputed events is 18, which is less than five percent of the total book. You know, that falls comfortably within the realm of what's appropriate for a memoir................ There's a great debate about memoir and about what should be most properly served, the story or some form of journalistic truth. Memoirs don't generally come under the type of scrutiny that mine has..................I mean, the genre of memoir is one that's very new and the boundaries of it had not been established yet.

His mother called in and said nice things; Oprah called in and said nice things. It sounds like the events pointed out by the Smoking Gun are the only things that are under dispute and really make up a very small portion of the book. So small, as a matter of fact, that one must wonder why he chose to fabricate at all. Although you never know if he could have gotten it published without them. Basically, he does not think he did anything wrong and stands by the book as a mostly true account of his life.

As I said previously, I really enjoyed it and this does not take anything away from it for me although I would have enjoyed it equally well as a work of fiction.

[SuperMario66]

How odd. I just don't unerstand why he had to make things up. Just speak the truth.

[yanksrule69]

Can anybody recap the interview?

Repeat the word "memoir" about 28934729837423 and you have the interview in full.

Seriously, he sounded like a broken record saying it was a memoir and his definition of memoir and that it is a new genre and that no one has received as much scrutiny in writing a memoir as he has. Also, he repeatedly said that the "emotional truth" of the book is real and he could never have written it if he hadn't been addicted to drugs and alcohol.

He sounded a bit whiny and like he was being bullied around but I give him credit for addressing the issue. He would have been better served to say "it's a book about drug and alcohol abuse obviously my memory is going to be fvcked up."

The one point he did get across is that the information being scrutinized by The Smoking Gun is a very very small portion of the book. I think he said that it was like 18 out of 423 pages that they were picking apart. When I read The Smoking Gun article they made it seem like the book was riddled with exaggerations throughout its entirety. I haven't read the book so I didn't know.

How odd. I just don't unerstand why he had to make things up. Just speak the truth.

He claims that he has acknowledged some embelishment of some stories in the book but that a memoir is HIS memory of it and apparently this book is his version of the truth.

[tiyuri]

The Smoking Gun guy was on Countdown the other day talking about this. The thing that struck me is that he originally sent it out to publishers as a work of fiction but noone bit on it so he changed it to "non-fiction" so that he could get it published so he knew it was really fiction.

I'd be pissed too if I bought that book expecting to read an honest account of something and it turns out to be based on lies. That is why we have fiction and non-fiction and not just books.

[yankeebot]

A simple disclaimer at the beginning of the book would have prevented all of this.

[silverdsl]

The one point he did get across is that the information being scrutinized by The Smoking Gun is a very very small portion of the book. I think he said that it was like 18 out of 423 pages that they were picking apart. When I read The Smoking Gun article they made it seem like the book was riddled with exaggerations throughout its entirety. I haven't read the book so I didn't know.

Sure it's only 18 pages but they are apparently 18 of the most important pages in the book because they deal with some of the most important events that supposedly shaped his life.

Oprah says that his book can still be an inspiration to others in spite of some issues with it. But I don't see how one can trust anything that someone who is iffy on the truth says.

-Deborah

[yanksrule69]

Sure it's only 18 pages but they are apparently 18 of the most important pages in the book because they deal with some of the most important events that supposedly shaped his life.

Oprah says that his book can still be an inspiration to others in spite of some issues with it. But I don't see how one can trust anything that someone who is iffy on the truth says.

-Deborah

I've haven't read the book so I can't comment on how integral those 18 pages are to it.


As for this supposed refund, both the opening reporter and Larry King said that Random House is NOT offering a refund and that it was just a rumor. Interesting, though, that they were reporting it earlier on cnn.com.

[yankeebot]

Sure it's only 18 pages but they are apparently 18 of the most important pages in the book because they deal with some of the most important events that supposedly shaped his life.

Oprah says that his book can still be an inspiration to others in spite of some issues with it. But I don't see how one can trust anything that someone who is iffy on the truth says.

-Deborah

Did you read the book?

[ritaylnil]

But I don't see how one can trust anything that someone who is iffy on the truth says.

-Deborah

Exactly!