Bibliofemme Bookclub An Irish Bookclub

A Million Little Pieces is set in the roller coaster timeframe of James Frey’s torturous ride through rehabilitation. While struggling to find a new life, Frey shares his past life of debauchery and addiction with astonishing honesty and clarity, giving the usual self-pity a gracious miss.

Frey started drinking regularly at the early age of eleven and slid quickly down a slippery slope, ending up with severe dependencies on alcohol and crack. At the age of 23, he was admitted to a rehabilitation centre in Minneapolis. He was told by the in-house doctor that it was amazing he was still alive, given the extreme abuse his body had been put through. Due to the extensive damage done to his internal organs he had two choices: continue using or die. With this in mind, he set onto the path of reform, with a tenacity and strength rarely seen in such severe addicts.

The author has a deceptively simple way of writing and gets away with a lot of repetition. Instead of this seeming inarticulate, it comes across as expressive and representative of the mood or emotion that he is sharing. These 513 pages offer tales one might otherwise dismiss as tall; however, the reader will experience everything as the author has, alongside his fellow patients – a Mafia guy, a judge and a boxer.

A Million Little Pieces is an amazing insight into the harrowing life and regeneration of James Frey. Told with page-turning pace, this book makes for an utterly compulsive read. Frey shares his experience with continuous humour, keeping the grim scenes bearable and keeping his story lively and close to the reader. Not for the faint-hearted, but recommended reading for those looking for a view of the depths of destruction and the power of the healing mind.