Share

James Frey biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

more about James

Best Known For

James Frey is the author who fictionalized his memoir, A Million Little Pieces, a story of drug abuse and redemption.

Synopsis

James Frey is the author who fictionalized his memoir, A Million Little Pieces. His book was originally written as a fictional novel but later reworked as a memoir and published in 2003. In 2005, Oprah Winfrey selected it for her monthly book club, making it an overnight best-seller. The hype brought scrutiny,

Contents

and the truth came out. Frey apologized on Oprah and lost a seven-figure book deal.

Profile

Writer. Born James Christopher Frey on September 12, 1969 in Cleveland, Ohio. After studying at Denison University and the Art Institute of Chicago, Frey worked as a screenwriter, director and producer in Los Angeles. He took a year off in 1996 to work on his first fictional novel, A Million Little Pieces. The book was reportedly turned down by 17 publishers before he reworked it as a memoir. The new non-fiction work, a story of drug abuse and redemption, was published by Doubleday in 2003.

In 2005, A Million Little Pieces was selected by Oprah Winfrey for her monthly book club, causing it to become an overnight triumph with over two million copies sold. The hype surrounding the book led to increased scrutiny over its contents, most notably by The Smoking Gun, which released a report discrediting Frey and the book in 2006. The investigative web site reported that much of the book had been fabricated, including critical details about Frey's criminal record and rehab experiences. Frey first denounced The Smoking Gun and defended his book, but as the accusations began to escalate, he was forced to make a televised apology on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Nan Talese of Doubleday also admitted that her company failed to check the veracity of the memoir before publicizing it as such.

In the aftermath of the scandal, Random House issued a statement saying that future editions of the book would be accompanied by notes from both the publisher and the author. Frey was subsequently dropped by his literary agent and lost a two-book, seven-figure deal. In September 2006, Frey and publisher Random House, Inc. reached a tentative legal settlement where readers who felt they had been defrauded by the book would be offered a refund.

© 2012 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.

ADVERTISEMENT

GetGlue

201259 201259
profile id: 201259
profile name: James Frey
profile occupation:
related profile id: 201259
related profile name: James Frey
related profile occupation:
related profile img: /imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/F/James-Frey-201259-1-402.jpg
related profile URL: /people/james-frey-201259
profile
pop
Your Connections

Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.

specific profile connection
See More Bio Connections
Your Friends' Connections
specific friend connection
Profile Connections
    Show More Connections
    Included In These Groups

    See all related groups

    Celebrity Connections

    Show More Connections
    Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!