Comments on: could Oprah be wrong???!?!!?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:19:24 +0000

My opinion aside, I do know the opinion of a close relative of mine who is very much an addict. He realizes the reality of the author’s credibility, and still feels as though no other writing has spoken to the addiction in his own life quite like this book. Whatever it takes to help him recover, I’m for it.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:22:15 +0000

BEH - Nah, you just need paragraph breaks. I agree with you.

By: nic

nic — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:28:10 +0000

Anna, your comment reminded me of this comic - link

By: Valerie

Valerie — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:21:44 +0000

I will also remind people that I am reason that stoplights are set up as red, yellow, and THEN green.

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:27:25 +0000

I think you SHOULD write a book stating that you grew up in Minnesota and were the first Native American President of the United States…that is a book I would read.

When I write my book, I’m totally going to include that I invented England…and jumping.

By: BEH

BEH — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:24:53 +0000

Boy, I’ve gotta start being less long-winded on my comments.

By: BEH

BEH — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:24:14 +0000

I think of a memoir as being a little closer to autobiography than you seem to. I see your point about memoirs being a little more subjective and colored by experience and memory, but I think the general intent for both is to put forth as truthful an account as one is able to do. And I’m not talking “emotional truth” here; that’s a term that has bothered me every time I’ve heard it. It seems to be used only by people who are trying to explain why they lied. Plenty of outstanding writers have used the concept, borrowing from real life to tell a fictional story that in turn reaches a deeper emotional place than the straight facts ever could, but the point there is that they are acknowledging the work itself to be fiction. Kurt Vonnegut drew from his experiences in WWII and wrote “Slaughterhouse Five”; I don’t think anyone would argue that the novel lacks emotional punch just because some parts of the story are different from the real events that inspired them. The sad thing is, to go back to the point Chris made, is that a story that could have meant a lot to a lot of people has lost its credibility because the author claimed things were true that weren’t. If he had just added those four little words, “Based on true events,” we might be talking about what a wonderful book he wrote, and people might be talking about how it chnaged their lives. Instead, he’s got Oprah and the rest of the world calling him a big fat liar. Which, however you dress it up and explain it, is what he is. If you say it’s true and you know it isn’t, kiss the rest of your credibility goodbye.

My God, I’m on the same side as Oprah?!?

By: Valerie

Valerie — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:20:31 +0000

It’s a good take and I think Frey did take it too far. Good point about the issue of addiction.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:05:42 +0000

My issue is that Frey falsified facts. I think it’s one thing to give your perception of your life, but another to totally lie about things like the number of days you spent in jail. I think that because Frey’s book deals with something as sensitive as addiction, specifically overcoming addiction, it’s inexcusable to make up details about the situation. I think it kind of makes a mockery of readers who feel like they connect with the book because they suffer from the same affliction. That’s just my take.