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January 09, 2006
I'm young and beautiful
I want to start this post by saying that I firmly believe that people with alcohol and drug problems can find the solution to their problems through many paths.
That said, I also know that the solution to the problems I have with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction has been found in 12 Step Programs. I know, because I am surrounded by examples daily, that when people who are Alcoholic and/or Drug Addicted follow the suggestions laid out in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12 Step Programs their lives become better.
When I read A Million Little Pieces(yup, that is what this post is about), I thought it was a very entertaining if often creative narative of what an Alcoholic or Drug Addicts life would look like. There were many things in the book that made me roll my eyes, recognizing the sound of grandiosity in his writing. Frey wanted to sound like the worst addict out there, a contest which is run with regularity in every treatment center and recovery program. It in fact becomes predictable and rather boring after a time.
Unlike me, who was willing to kind of laugh the embellishment the folks over at The Smoking Gun decided to do some research and came up with some terrible interesting factual errors(which in some circles are called lies), these can be found here.
Well, I am not going to spend alot of time editorializing about this, because I have to get to work, But I would love to hear what you all have to say.
Posted by JimG at January 9, 2006 08:41 AM
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Comments
I agree, especially being a drug addict as well, there is a tendency to embelish our past to be the worst of the worst. And can any of us really remember exactly what really happened? I know that my perception was not my reality for a long time.
Thanks for the interesting post!
Posted by: Courtney C at January 9, 2006 01:17 PM
i read a million little pieces almost a year and half ago now. i was not that thrilled with it. it didn't seem very plausible as a memoir, i didn't check that link, but many things seemed to be glaring. the biggest one for me was the treatment center takes you into a crack house to save the girl you aren't supposed to be in love with?!
maybe being gay and in recovery made me like dry, by augsten burroughs more. i was actually wondering if it was considered for this same slot on the oprah book circle, but was a bit too gay?
yes there are many ways to recover and i'm so thankful that i found the 12 steps and it has worked for me. i think frey's approach to recovery could be misleading to those new to recovery though. "the i can do all by myself" thing might work for a select handful, but it didn't work for me.
Posted by: christopher at January 9, 2006 06:05 PM
I think I smell a rat.
Thanks for linking that.
Posted by: Dave / higher powered at January 9, 2006 07:41 PM