stevestojan Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 The Book, "Million Little Pieces" by James Frey was supposed to be "non-fiction" account of Freys life of drugs, alcohol addiction, run ins with the law, near death experiences, etc. TheSmokingGun.com decided it was bull sh--... so they investigated. Those SOBs were right. Now Random House is actually offering a refund to anyone who bought the book directly from them, and telling people who bought it at bookstores that they can take it back. CNN article with Video The Smoking Gun's Investigation Good Stuff... this guy is backpeddling all over the place now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Good Stuff... this guy is backpeddling all over the place now. 562414[/snapback] I'm not sure the guy is backpeddling. I know Oprah endorsed the book, but in reality, how many people really give a sh*t about books Oprah endorses, and who truthfully heard a thing about this book before now? I sure didn't. I think this will only generate more interest...I heard about this in four different places today, from Shredd & Regan in the morning to seeing the author on Larry King tonight. I'm sure he will make more money from this controversy than from any stamp that Oprah puts on the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanone Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I'm not sure the guy is backpeddling. I know Oprah endorsed the book, but in reality, how many people really give a sh*t about books Oprah endorses, and who truthfully heard a thing about this book before now? I sure didn't. I think this will only generate more interest...I heard about this in four different places today, from Shredd & Regan in the morning to seeing the author on Larry King tonight. I'm sure he will make more money from this controversy than from any stamp that Oprah puts on the cover. 562446[/snapback] I work for a book publisher. Books that Oprah endorses become instant bestsellers. Even books merely mentioned on her show result in a spike in sales. She is extremely influential. We were discussing this very issue in a marketing/editorial meeting. Everyone seemed to enjoy my sarcastic suggestion that we simply move the book from nonfiction to fiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted January 12, 2006 Author Share Posted January 12, 2006 I'm not sure the guy is backpeddling. I know Oprah endorsed the book, but in reality, how many people really give a sh*t about books Oprah endorses, and who truthfully heard a thing about this book before now? 562446[/snapback] #1 Bestseller (non-fiction) for 17 weeks in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 #1 Bestseller (non-fiction) for 17 weeks in a row. 562458[/snapback] Did you know about this book because of Oprah, or because of these allegations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Did you know about this book because of Oprah, or because of these allegations? 562710[/snapback] I knew about it because my wife was a drug and alcohol councelor (and now manages a treatment place). She watched the Larry King Live interview with him yesterday, and she's pretty sure he started using (either drugs or alcohol) again this week after the controversy based on his body language when King asked him. She's also pretty sure (based on body language and such) that he hasn't been 100% clean for the past 13 years. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 hmmm...an alcoholic and drub abuser telling a lie? Now that's a first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I'm not sure the guy is backpeddling. I know Oprah endorsed the book, but in reality, how many people really give a sh*t about books Oprah endorses, and who truthfully heard a thing about this book before now? I sure didn't. 562446[/snapback] Are you kidding????? Why do you think companies LOVE to be included in Oprah's favorite Things for Christmas list. Millions of people listen to what she says and recommends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Are you kidding????? Why do you think companies LOVE to be included in Oprah's favorite Things for Christmas list. Millions of people listen to what she says and recommends. 562916[/snapback] If Oprah made the last bound volume of the Congressional Record the book of the month, the thing would be a best seller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Are you kidding????? Why do you think companies LOVE to be included in Oprah's favorite Things for Christmas list. Millions of people listen to what she says and recommends. 562916[/snapback] I KNOW that... But how many people do you know who are obsessed with Oprah's book club??? Listen, I know Oprah endorses a book, and it takes off. Obviously, this book would have been obscure if she didn't recommend it. What I'm saying is, don't you think this media attention brings 100x more publicity than a stamp from the Oprah Book Club? Granted, there wouldn't be such a hubbub if this book wasn't a best seller, and it's only a best seller because of the OBC. But to say this guy is worried about his credibility and is backtracking??? No way! Many millions of people who don't give a rat's ass about Oprah or her books (like me) and who would never, ever have heard of this book, now know about this author and this story. The point I'm making is that so many more people have become aware of this book because of the news coverage that now surrounds it...not because Oprah told a bunch of housewives one afternoon that she liked it. He can't be too upset about that. And people are upset that they assumed they were reading a non-fiction, unembellished story by a cracked-out, drugged-up, alcoholic? That's B.S. Nobody should get their money back. If you enjoyed the book, then it was money well spent. If you didn't enjoy it...Tough break...I've read lots of books I wasn't thrilled with and I wasn't able to get a refund. By the way, I want my money back from 10 years ago when I went to see Independence Day. The Smoking Gun just reported that aliens never did attack Earth, and it's not a true story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 By the way, I want my money back from 10 years ago when I went to see Independence Day. The Smoking Gun just reported that aliens never did attack Earth, and it's not a true story. 562950[/snapback] You do realize that statements like this make you look like an idiot, right? ID4 never claimed to be true. His book DOES claim to be true. Now he's saying, "Well, all of it's true except for those 10-20 pages that SmokingGun pointed out." Basically he's saying, "Everything's true unless you find a way to prove it untrue." The book apparantly has a great message and is well written, but it's NOT non-fiction, and that's why there's a hubbub. If it were marketed as fiction, nobody would be batting an eyelash. If it were marked as "based on true events," nobody would bat an eyelash. But he published it as a memoir, which is supposed to be TRUE. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 You do realize that statements like this make you look like an idiot, right? ID4 never claimed to be true. His book DOES claim to be true. Now he's saying, "Well, all of it's true except for those 10-20 pages that SmokingGun pointed out." Basically he's saying, "Everything's true unless you find a way to prove it untrue." The book apparantly has a great message and is well written, but it's NOT non-fiction, and that's why there's a hubbub. If it were marketed as fiction, nobody would be batting an eyelash. If it were marked as "based on true events," nobody would bat an eyelash. But he published it as a memoir, which is supposed to be TRUE. CW 562962[/snapback] I knew the difference when I typed it. But yes, I am an idiot, so it works out. Don't you think this guy is relatively pleased with the outcome of all this? The hubbub is what every author wants, good or bad. There's a thread about this book, not because Oprah liked it, but because of the media attention for it's inaccuracies. I originally responded because Stojan said he's backtracking, and I don't think so...I think he's eating this up. BTW, I should have used "Titanic" as my reference. The Smoking Gun reported that there was no topless girl wearing a ruby. That would've worked better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Don't you think this guy is relatively pleased with the outcome of all this? The hubbub is what every author wants, good or bad. There's a thread about this book, not because Oprah liked it, but because of the media attention for it's inaccuracies. I originally responded because Stojan said he's backtracking, and I don't think so...I think he's eating this up. 562977[/snapback] I don't think so. The Smoking Gun website has proved him to be a liar. The only reason Oprah is standing behind him is her good name. Watching him on King last night you can see the cracks in the facade. It is getting to him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 BTW, I should have used "Titanic" as my reference. The Smoking Gun reported that there was no topless girl wearing a ruby. That would've worked better! 562977[/snapback] Yeah, that would've been a lot funnier. He was clearly bothered by it on LKL last night. He was also obviously coached as to what answers to give. And he never strayed from the script (heck, I think if Larry asked him, "What did you have for breakfast this morning?" he would've replied, "You know, I wrote the book to the best of my recollection." Yes, it'll probably help sales, but it also hurts his credibility. There's a reason that he said he would never write another peice of non-fiction. (of course it can be argued that he never wrote ONE peice of non-fiction ). As I said previously, my wife thinks he may have had a relapse this week as well because of this, based on the way he answered some questions. Speaking of LKL -- anyone else really annoyed with the guy's mom? God, she was annoying.. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Some interesting thoughts on the debate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanone Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I'm not sure the guy is backpeddling. I know Oprah endorsed the book, but in reality, how many people really give a sh*t about books Oprah endorses, and who truthfully heard a thing about this book before now? I sure didn't. 562446[/snapback] Check out Oprah's latest pick. Seems people DO care what book she endorses. http://www.bestbookdeal.com/amazon-movers-books.html Imagine a 5,212,600% increase in ranking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Does anyone else suspect that this may be a ploy to keep the book on the bestseller lists just a little bit longer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheRocks Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 The Book, "Million Little Pieces" by James Frey was supposed to be "non-fiction" account of Freys life of drugs, alcohol addiction, run ins with the law, near death experiences, etc. TheSmokingGun.com decided it was bull sh--... so they investigated. Those SOBs were right. Now Random House is actually offering a refund to anyone who bought the book directly from them, and telling people who bought it at bookstores that they can take it back. CNN article with Video The Smoking Gun's Investigation Good Stuff... this guy is backpeddling all over the place now. 562414[/snapback] "Million Little Pieces" by James Frey marketed as non-Fiction = Michael Moore films marketed as Documentary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanone Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Does anyone else suspect that this may be a ploy to keep the book on the bestseller lists just a little bit longer? 571055[/snapback] No. It'll do more harm than good for that type of book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts