latest read - a million little pieces

I have a disease when it comes to books - I buy them faster than I can read them and in abundance.

I have a nice little stack of more than 10 books I've purchased maybe 1 and half years ago and I have only opened their front covers to place my name thus claiming them mine and dating them recording the day I bought them which of course now can be used as a time measure of how long I've had them before I've read them.

Yes, this is in fact a disease - one of many that I have.




The date on this book reads "4 June 2006" - more than two years ago. During that time, I was an addict to Oprah's Book Club and I was willing to give any book a go as long as it has an "Oprah's Book Club" stamp of approval. I have learnt during those two years that my taste in books and hers more often than not, do not match.

Oprah was very much impressed by this book and talked enthusiastically about it during one of her shows of which I caught and got sucked in. Of course, it is this book that later garnered more publicity after investigation revealed that this supposed memoir was in fact fictitious in many ways and thus is now known as the book that duped the great Oprah herself.

Read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Million_Little_Pieces

It is without a doubt that Mr Frey wrote in a style that is highly unusual in storytelling. Every conversation, thought or description was presented in new lines rather than through quotation marks or long extended paragraphs. I find that this unusual storytelling style is what makes this book so captivating and an easy read. He is descriptive yet concise. He builds his characters in such a way that you do get emotionally invested in them. At the end of the book, I had to hold back tears.

I was drawn to several messages from reading this book. One is that anger, violence and destructiveness do not just suddenly prevail and manifest in people. These negativities come from childhood and it is these early years that will and can shape you into what you are today. James in this story was in constant pain during his childhood due to an ear infection and it is this persisting pain that made him constantly angry and frustrated.

However, having said that, as a grown adult, we must also realize and come to terms with the fact that life is all about choices - you choose to be bad or to do bad; you choose to be good or do good. It is what makes us human. God gave us the ability to think and use our brains to make choices. In this book, James refused to follow the typical 12-Steps Treatment for drug addiction or to join Alcoholic Anonymous. He also refused to accept apologies from his parents who felt that he is what he is because of them. He is adamant that the years of drug and alcohol abuse was all his own doing and that whether he will get better or not does not lie in some program or carefully outlined treatment. It is solely on him and his choice.

A good book.