# James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" exposed as fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597 "2006-01-12T00:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/1 "2006-01-12T00:59:40Z")
Expose from [The Smoking Gun](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/jamesfrey/0104061jamesfrey1.html) > [@](#): > > Police reports, court records, interviews with law enforcement personnel, and other sources have put the lie to many key sections of Frey’s book. The 36-year-old author, these documents and interviews show, wholly fabricated or wildly embellished details of his purported criminal career, jail terms, and status as an outlaw “wanted in three states.” > > In additon 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.” I had a feeling this guy was full of shit. His story was just too exaggerated. I heard on the radio that Random House is offering refunds to people who bought the book, Frey is scheduled to go on Larry King tonight to explain himself. I’m sure King will really go after him hard. :rolleyes: Anyway, I’m really glad to see this egomaniacal liar get exposed as a fraud. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/2 "2006-01-12T01:42:41Z")
Isn’t he supposed to be on some tallk show tonight to answer the charges? Larry King perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/3 "2006-01-12T01:45:01Z")
Here [James Frey to appear on ‘Larry King Live’](http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2006-01-11-frey-larry-king_x.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/4 "2006-01-12T02:15:58Z")
He’s on King right now. His strategy seems to be to claim that a “memoir” doesn’t really have to be true and is trying to act like he only changed a few names or something. His answers are so weaselly he’s about to grow a tail and whiskers. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/5 "2006-01-12T02:35:56Z")
[Psssst, **Dio** , there’s a thread on this on page 2 somehwere.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353245) Can you believe Larry King offered him the excuse of his addiction for not remembering events accurately? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-freys-a-million-little-pieces-exposed-as-fiction/339597/6 "2006-01-12T02:56:10Z")
Since there’s already another thread on this topic, please go there, as per **koeeoaddi** ’s link,.