A Million Little Pieces

Frey’s A Million Little Pieces has become synonymous with literary controversy. Published in 2003, the book was marketed as a raw and unflinching memoir detailing Frey’s harrowing journey from addiction to rehabilitation and long-term sobriety. Many critics praised the book for its vivid depiction of addiction, and Frey’s account of triumphing over adversity was inspirational to readers, particularly those struggling with addiction issues themselves. Oprah Winfrey’s selection of A Million Little Pieces for her influential book club in 2005 catapulted the memoir to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. However, the acclaim Frey received for his literary achievement took an abrupt turn in 2006 when it was revealed that significant portions of his memoir had been fabricated.

The controversy began when an investigative journalism website, The Smoking Gun, published an exposé titled “A Million Little Lies” (“A Million Little Lies: Exposing James Frey’s Fiction Addiction.” The Smoking Gun, 4 Jan. 2006). Many of the key events in Frey’s memoir were shown to be exaggerated, such as the severity of the author’s crimes and the length of his prison sentences. While Frey lists his string of criminal offences as “Possession, Possession with Intent to Distribute, three DUI’s, a bunch of Vandalism and Destruction of Property charges, Assault, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Assaulting an Officer of the Law, Public Drunkenness, Disturbing the Peace” (34), the most serious offense on his record was found to be driving without a license under the influence.