It's been a little more than a year since James Frey's disputed memoir
A Million Little Pieces sparked tension on
The Oprah Winfrey Show but the controversy surrounding Winfrey's nationally televised pillorying of the author remains until now.
A Million Little Pieces, which tells the story of a 23-year-old alcoholic and drug abuser and how he copes with rehabilitation in a 12 steps oriented treatment center, became a bestseller after the award-winning host of
The Oprah Winfrey Show chose it for her book club in 2005. It even became the number one paperback non-fiction book on the
New York Times best seller list for 15 straight weeks, as well as the number 1 book on Amazon.com. Frey later revealed that the memoir contained numerous fictitious elements that prompted Winfrey, who initially defended the author, to denounce him in person on
The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Your Take
vinny said:
Oprah ripped James Frey and Nan Talese apart for very selfish reasons. A memoir is "embilleshed" and has c...
Sandra said:
Diva, should Oprah have rewarded him with a BRAND NEW CAR and a trip for two to Hawaii for his creative eff...
During a session of a nonfiction writers' conference in Dallas last Saturday, Nan A. Talese, editor and publisher of Frey's memoir who was also with him when he appeared on
The Oprah Winfrey Show, criticized Winfrey of "fiercely bad manners" and said that she would have done nothing differently in how she handled Frey's work.
"I'm afraid I'm unapologetic of the whole thing and the only person who should be apologetic is Oprah Winfrey," Talese said, according to The Dallas Morning News.
"When someone starts out and says, 'I have been an alcoholic. I have lied. I have cheated.' ... you do not think this is going to be the New Testament," Talese said referring to Frey's use of fabricated episodes in his account of addiction and recovery.
Back in May, a judge already approved a tentative settlement, ordering the publishing Random House and Frey to refund $2.35 million to those who bought his book prior to his appearance on
The Oprah Winfrey Show.
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Associated Press
(Image courtesy of Oprah)