Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Oprah.com calls James Frey one of Oprah's most controversial guests. James Frey says he never could bring himself to watch the show. He returned to speak with O five years later to tell his side of the story. Did you know that after the show he commissioned an artist to paint an interpretation of the experience, called "Public Stoning"? (Source.)
1,345 people sought refunds for A Million Little Pieces after James Frey was exposed as a fraud. They might have gotten their $14.95 back, but they'll never get back all the time spent reading it. (Source.)
A Million Little Pieces was the fastest-selling book in Oprah's Book Club history. We bet Barbara Kingsolver and Jeffrey Eugenides are kicking themselves for not labeling their books as "memoirs." (Source.)
It's hard to tell what James Frey thinks his book is. In some instances he calls it "literature," and in others he calls it a "memoir." The only accurate label we can think of is "controversial." (Source and source.)
Does anyone buy books written by James Frey anymore? Well, they do if they don't know he wrote them. He's behind two YA series: The Lorien Legacies (including I Am Number 4) and Endgame. (Source.)