'A Million Little Pieces' author cancels Dallas visit

[TexasStooge]

By ALAN MELSON / DallasNews.com

Author James Frey, under intense scrutiny since a report earlier this month cast doubts on the validity of his memoir A Million Little Pieces, has canceled a scheduled appearance in Dallas.

Mr. Frey had been expected to speak at Turtle Creek Manor’s Vision of Hope awards luncheon this Friday at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

John E. Castañeda, executive director of Turtle Creek Manor, said a representative for Mr. Frey called Friday afternoon to say the author no longer would be available for the Dallas event. Mr. Castañeda said it was his understanding that Mr. Frey had canceled other upcoming appearances as well.

"He offered to reschedule, but given our schedule that's essentially a cancellation," he said.

On Jan. 8, the investigative Web site thesmokinggun.com posted a report questioning many aspects of Mr. Frey's best-seller, which had been chosen by Oprah Winfrey as one of her book club selections.

Last Thursday, Mr. Frey triggered a national uproar over memoirs, truth, fact-checking and the publishing industry when he admitted to Oprah Winfrey that parts of his tough-talking book, which Ms. Winfrey had chosen for her book club, were fabricated. Ms. Winfrey declared the author had "betrayed millions of readers" and took his publisher, Nan A. Talese, to task as well for not admitting the book’s misrepresentations when challenged about them.

The luncheon, a benefit for the nonprofit agency assists adults with mental illness and addiction issues, will honor Dr. Bryon Adinoff, Jan Mitura and the late Edward K. Mims. All have made "outstanding contributions" to the Dallas community, according to the agency.

Dr. Drew Pinsky, an expert on addiction who is known for his nationally syndicated radio and television programs, will speak at the luncheon in place of Mr. Frey.

Tickets to the luncheon are $125 and can be bought online.

[arkess7]

I dont care. .......I read that book and it was a darn good one................so what if he switched some of the HARSH REALITY around...............it is a book about addictions...........and it really makes you think...............and you wonder how people out there can let there selves get so screwed up in life

I think he did good in letting his life struggle be known.......so what if he changed a few minor things for some extra cash. ................. geez.....isnt that the american way now a days.................no sweat off my back

[wxcrazytwo]

most books like that are exaggerated anyways, so what is the big hub bub.

[gwalls]

I am currently reading this book. So far, I have enjoyed it. Personally, I don't care what Oprah thinks. It's a very good book. It's very easy to read. I think all of this is more of the publishers, editors, etc. fault because he tried to sell the book as a novel and they told him no. Everyone just needs to get over it. I think he is a very talented writer.

[alicia-w]

i'm reading the book too and agree. it's a decent book, true or not! i watched him on Larry King a while ago and he said that he tried to publish it as fiction and the publisher said No. So they published it as a memoir instead.

Oprah can just calm down and relax. It's a book for crying out loud. Get over it.

[HurryKane]

From what I've heard, many people who really have had addiction problems are not overly impressed with his made-up version of what it's like.

I'm unimpressed with people who exaggerate and lie and pass it off as truth. The Smoking Gun has a full list of what his untruths are. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/01 ... frey1.html

Inventing a role for himself in a fatal car accident? That's inexcusable to me.

In addition to these rap sheet creations, Frey also invented a role for himself in a deadly train accident that cost the lives of two female high school students. In what may be his book's most crass flight from reality, Frey remarkably appropriates and manipulates details of the incident so he can falsely portray himself as the tragedy's third victim. It's a cynical and offensive ploy that has left one of the victims' parents bewildered. "As far as I know, he had nothing to do with the accident," said the mother of one of the dead girls. "I figured he was taking license...he's a writer, you know, they don't tell everything that's factual and true."

Dude needs to own up that he is a fraud.


That said, I hate Oprah and wouldn't read a book just because she recommended it. In fact I avoid her book club recs.

[arkess7]

I disagree.......I have read alot of her book club recs....and some of them are very very good books. Some history and some bios....and others.

[southerngale]

It may be a good book, but it shouldn't be sold as nonfiction if it isn't. That's like someone selling their hurricane story or a story about being in The World Trade Center on 9/11 as what happened to them. People buy it to hear their story. Then later...oops...well, most of it was true but I diced it up a bit so I would sell more copies.