A Million Little Pieces: the controversy

A couple of Seattle residents today filed what they hope to turn into a class action law suit against the publisher and author of the "non-fictional" book A Million Little Pieces. The Seattle Times reports that the pair is seeking damages for "lost time" they spent reading the book.

Say it with me people: Pu-Leeze! Get over yourselves.

I've read this book (in three days) and I thought it was great. Not since the Bridges of Madison County have people gone so gaga over a book. (Note to readers: BoMC - was over rated and was fiction written to look like non-fiction. It does NOT earn a recommendation from me.) Back to the point, I had flight attendants, my airplane seatmate and complete strangers approach me while reading to discuss the book. They ALL basically said "Isn't that book awesome?"

For the ten of you who haven't read the book here's the synopsis: James wakes up on an airplane not sure where it's headed. He's covered in blood with a hole in his face. His parents kindly drop him into re-hab where he sobers up and learns to live with his addictions.

I found it hard to read at times because his account of the experience was so graphic and yet it really made me think about my own life (no, not doing any drugs if that's what yer thinkin') and I was amazed at his ability to portray a population of people that I really would rather not have over to my house for dinner in a new way.

The controversy is that the Smoking Gun web site did a background check on the author and found that they couldn't verify everything in his non-fiction book.

I will admit that when I read non-fiction that I expect things to be true - but I also know all too well that the truth can be BO-RING! I am not at all offended that this dude (and possibly his editors) took some license with sequence, collapsing characters, and over emphasizing certain events to make the book a better read. I promise you that if you think everything I have noted in the blog is 100% accurate you are in for a surprise!

Other authors have been criticized for taking the same license with their life stories, and I wonder if all autobiographies by default have at least one inaccuracy. You can only remember things how you remember them - as I remember it, I broke up with my high school boy friend, he did NOT dump me because I was too clingy and needy. (well, maybe that sounds a little familiar -- but believe you me, when my auto biography is published I'm gonna be the injured party.) I've read autobiographies where portions of the subjects life is left out -- does that mean the books are worthless? (In the case of Beryl Markham who omitted all references to her children during the span of the book, but managed to leave in her love life... yes it does!)

Anyway these yahoos hopefully don't have a shot in hell of getting compensation for lost time to read A Million Little Pieces. Frankly, I still recommend this book to everyone in spite of the controversy.

Thank you and have a nice day!