My hope is Oprah learned something from Mr. Frey. Memoirs need to be checked out. It would have been quite simple to identify that this guy is a liar. Any reputable treatment program would have spotted his lies. One does not participate in treatment romances and continue in treatment. Some programs might warn a client once but if it continues the client is discharged. I know this for a fact as I am a retired addiction counselor of over 20 years and I have discharged clients engaging in these types of behavior. My fear is that people who are addicted here about his treatment experience will believe that's how to recover from their addiction. The only thing Mr. Frey has accomplished is not to drink/use. His is not recovery he is simply dry. Recovery is a complete change in behaviors. This takes a spiritual awakening.

OPrah´s flogging of Frey is about the silliest thing I have seen on American television.

That woman is a bedlam of ambitions, a nursery of fears, a harem of fondled hatreds all to herself.

Pity that Frey was unable to tell her a few words of truth as the lady revealed herself in her pitiful state.

No writer ever owes the reader any other truth than what is in a well performed seduction.

After having read the book well in advance of all of the controversy to come, I sat down and watched Oprah, thinking that she could POSSIBLY bring the guy on to talk to him about things. What I witnessed and what his answers were to her questions all made sense to me and made me think, "Sure, change a few details like how Lilly died, etc to save her identity being found out. Who knows if he had anasthetic or not during the root canal? who cares?"

All of it seemed well written and wholly believable while reading it so I let his answers slide. He has been through a hell of a lot more than most human beings could endure. He deserves his success.

The one thing that struck me was, after having read the book, how could Oprah even entertain the notion of pulling him onstage and mounting such an awkward little attack? It led me to one very sincere idea in my head... THERE IS NO WAY SHE EVEN READ THIS BOOK. IF SHE READ IT, SHE WOULD NEVER, EVER, AS A PERSON WITH A HEART AS BIG AS HERS PURPORTEDLY IS, HAVE KICKED THIS MAN AROUND ON HER SHOW.

Any takes on THAT statement?

I think Frey is a powerful writer and am now sick at how he was publically flogged. I am a writer and so are most of my friends. Writing is hard to do, very hard. Whether Frey or Nan Talese called his book non-fiction seems besides the point for me, as a reader.

Because he writes well. And he has a voice. And if some or a lot was not true, so call it fictionalized autobiograhy and appreciate his rhythms and his talent.

There is, imo, no pure fiction and no pure non-fiction. Some of us write memoirs that are 99.9% true. That doesn't make us better writers. I am anti-Ophrah on this issue because she was, as the article says, making sure HER reputation stayed intact, not giving a damn about the writer who is unfairly given the boot. I haven't read the web site on his 'mistakes' and 'lies' but I think he's a major talent, not Faulker but fine writer.

Lordy

You sound so jaded and hateful towards recovering addicts. Remind me not to check into your facility if I get hooked on something.

Anyway the idea that addicted/recovering people are cheats and liars is a myth perpretuated by the 12 Step Movement and the 12 Step based Recovery Industry.

It's bollocks

Oprah can take her Frey-book and her decisions about what she considers a good book and shove it up her arse!

The day I need her to tell me what to read is the day I lay down and DIE!

>>Oprah, you have probably precipitated a drug and alcohol relapse in James Frey >>

That is typical addict manipulation to blame their choice to use on someone else.

>>As for the publishers, how difficult would it have been to have Frey sign releases of information and confirm the "criminal" records, dental procedures, and rehabilitation progress notes?>>

I have read about the publishing industry and how books are vetted. Publishers (at the behest of their attorneys) do their due diligence before signing on an author by checking facts in the books. My understanding is that this is common practice to protect the publisher from charges of slander. (Of course, if the author made it up, the imaginary people arent' going to sue him for slander.) I don't believe the publishers when they try to make us believe they didn't know about the fabrication. It's standard practice to check the facts of a nonfiction book before comitting to printing it.

As a social worker, I have seen addicts lie, distort, and manipulate in order to get what they want. They are often selfish, grandiose, and choose to create their own reality in order to justify their behavior which they know deep down is killing them and hurting those who care for them.

It is clear from his writing and his current refusal to say "I lied" that James Frey is still in the throes of addiction behavior, whether he is actually using or not. Even the book is evidence of abysmal self-esteem, anger toward himself and his family, distortions of reality (although none of is will ever know what really happened in rehab), and blaming others for his problems. Until he admits what he did and identifies his behaviors, apologizes to those he directly hurt, and makes a committment to be responsible for his achievements and mistakes, he will never truly recover.

I too have my doubts about 12-step programs, but given the low success rate of addiction recovery, I think it is never too late to give it a try. Addiction begins with a choice to use, and recovery begins with a choice to stop using. What Frey needs now more than ever is supportive family and friends, a group who will call him on his bullshit and hold him to it, and a therapist to help him process all that has been and is currently happening in his life and learn new "coping mechanisms." What matters more than anything is that he is safe from (self)harm and begins to develop some kind of positive regard for himself.

As for the publishers, how difficult would it have been to have Frey sign releases of information and confirm the "criminal" records, dental procedures, and rehabilitation progress notes? It's one thing to believe in your writer and another to enable him to continue to hurt people, living and dead.

Oprah also owes and apology to the professionals who treated Frey. They have had their good names dragged through the mud here, too, and the media owes it to them to clear them so that they can continue to do the good work that very few people actually want to do.

--Sydney Cutler, MSW