You my friend, will NEVER be as smart as me.

Sometimes, you read a sample of a book, or the first few pages, and get intrigued. Sometimes you read the first few pages of a book, or a sample and know that it will suck. If you read 12-15 books a year, you might have a better basis for what is good, and what is trite bs.

And again, I don't need to read another book about someone who was all fucked up and then quit and regrets it all, but really wants to share his story to inspire others. This dude, Dave Eggers and whoever the fuck else all just make me wanna drive my car off the road. But like fuse said, it fits a narrative arc, so I'm sure its awesome

I think Oprah is a marketing genius, and I don't really buy into her image. There's worst stuff moms could be watching and worshiping. If she encourages 40 year old women to read more and be more charitable, I can't really fault her. But I think she's full of crap at the same time.

Because if I smell a Shit Sandwich, I don't feel compelled to bite into it to make sure it's really shit.

Dude, as hard as it may be to beleive, some people, like me, DO wanna read stories about people who overcome shit like addiction and other hardships. Because for ME, not you obviously, but ME, it is interesting.

And I don't have to read 5, 15, or 50 books year to understand what is interesting to me.

You see, some people don't enjoy destroying themselves day after day, year after year, for their entire life. Some people need help.

I think that this book has helped A LOT of people out there with addiction and other problems. If that's BS, so be it.

And please, for me, for your friends, and for your existing and soon to be family; the next time you get that feeling that you want to drive off of the road, do it.

I'm sure you've NEVER read, listened to, or purchased anything that was recommended to you by anyone; no matter how good or bad you thought it might be.

Sounds like a great way to learn about new things.

I agree with this. Frey's main problem right now is he's taking the Milli Vanilli defence, which is a lame-ass "I didn't mean to hurt anybody" sorta tack. He should just buck up and say "fuck you, I wrote what I wanted to write." I imagine he's either been intimidated by Oprah's lawyers into sheepish contrition, or he's trying to be a good boy so Oprah will support his next book.

<----- (hasn't read the book)

You don't need to read books to know what's interesting to you, that is true.

You know what I did when I didn't feel like 'destroying myself' anymore...I stopped. Wasn't even difficult. I just made a decision that drinking by myself wasn't helping my job performance or bank account, so I stopped.

So, it's not BS, its called BEING A PUSSY.

Save your worldliness for some Delta Gamma with a .24 BAC.

Sure I take things on recommendations, but not from just any schmo off the street. Yes, I'm very particular about the media I consume. Color me one faceted, but I tend to stay in the realm of politics and history, because I find the myriad of interesting characters who actually lived and breathed in this world and their interactions with other people to build cultures, governments and legacies to be pretty damn fascinating. This also applies to what I tend to read online and watch on televsion. I can live with being boring.

What you don't seem to understand is that I'm making no claims on what you do or should find interesting. I don't care.

As for your assertion that this book has helped all these people, I doubt it. I bet the great majority of the people who wrote his book were drawn in by the aspect of being able to drive as slowly as possible past a car wreck with all sorts of mangled bodies, yet one miraculously pulls himself out of the wreckage and makes a full recovery.

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Busty. I haven't read the book completely (just started it), but I think it's hypocritical and lame on Oprah's part to do a complete 180, point the finger at the publisher and ask "Why didn't you fact check???" She said she found the dentist scene unbelievable... well, you bought it, Oprah. Hindsight's a fucking bitch, ain't it?

Here's my thing: I totally respect Oprah as a woman and as a power, in the sense that (like someone else has already mentioned) she encourages these housewives or whoever to read at all, and she is a bastion of charitable giving. So I can understand when she puts her stamp of approval on something, it does affect her credibility. However, with all the crap that's come out about the book, intelligent people can read it and think "it's a fictionalized account of dealing with drug addiction." That's it. If it helps people, great. Why people have to take this shit so personally is beyond me. And true, there are way more important things to worry about in this world than some shyster writer.

And Radcliffe, I totally agree with your theory on why he was on the show. I so believe that litigation was threatened against Frey by Oprah's folks. Otherwise why wouldn't he have just issued a statement and be done with it? And quite frankly, Oprah is no better than Frey when she has to put on a fucking LIVE show of her confrontation about this subject. People make mistakes, Oprah, even you.

Dude, if you knew me, you'd know I'm not the "worldly" type.

I JUST LIKE THE FUCKING BOOK! And I don't enjoy being called out for liking something when the perosn calling me out hasn't experienced what they're shitting on. that's it.

Doesn't suprise me at all that you doubt that it helped anyone at all. You pretty much make it a habit of poopooing anything, everything, and everyone. But that's cool. That's your "persona" I guess.

You're right, you are boring.

i have nothing to add to this thread.

+1

i personally know three people who would tell you this book changed their lives. please don't presume to know the message of this book without reading it.

Big deal. You're three people don't prove anything anymore than any three people I know that read the book for the trainwreck aspect.

They became liars? 8)

and vice versa. you can doubt and bet all you want, but the fact still remains that you don't really know what you're talking about.

I don't think that was really ever in question.



You seem awful defensive. I don't have to hear the Abba reunion album to know it ain't my cup of tea, but you don't seem to understand that.

It is and he happily admits it (sorry, I have no idea where I read/saw this, but I know I did.) Like others have said, what makes his writing effective and important is not that he wrote the truth 100% as it happened but that he was true to the experiences' effects on him. That he embellishes to make it interesting and readable isn't of concern to me.

Oh bullshit. The Bible has saved more lives from addiction than this book, that doesn't mean any criticism is totally unwarranted.

Are you trying to say that of the 1.8 Million copies of this book that were sold in 2005, at least 1 million of those were to addicts who have since cleaned up? Hell, even 25% of the sales to healed addictions would be 450,000 people. Don't you think you could land a Nobel Prize or something for that sort of effectiveness?

I agree with Fu that the effect on the reader has nothing to do with the fact that he's a liar.

I don't either, but I have to say I have enjoyed reading the commentary. I would never have looked twice at this book because the story or message isn't something I would find interesting. I fall into the JFK, HST, non-fiction bio and SK arena. Overall, I think they're both to blame (Oprah and Frey) for creating the furor surrounding this. This fella should have done what others have: take elements of personal life and spin into a crazy fictionalized tale, with a message the reader can take away. But for whatever reason, he took the wrong path. He's got to take his comeuppance for that like a man. Oprah's just embarrassed and has to save face, can't blame her really, but I will.

I guess I did have something to add.

So what are you against books like the bible and AMLP helping people? Jesus man just go ahead and hold you own personal book burning and get over it. Wow.

I'm not trying to start an argument here, I just have to ask - what do you have against Eggers? I know people don't like his style because it's very random and stream-of-consciousness, and that's totally fine, but the way you talk here it sounds like you have him wrong. If anything, he's writing away from the typical narrative arc that you seem to be railing against.

And, hell, I think it's a good thing if anything gets people reading. Reading anything for enjoyment, that is. I don't care what it is, I just like to see that people actually are reading.

Can we all agree to burn Oprah instead?

look, you can criticize all you want. it would probably help your case to actually read the book beforehand, but that's your perogative, i don't really give a shit. all i'm saying is that you have no right to presume to understand someone's motivation for reading the book or what message they took from it, especially if you have no idea what that message is.

btw, i agree with most of this:

I can see now why you don't read much. Have someone read oldbullee's post to you so you might understand my point.