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"Winfrey Stands Behind 'Pieces' Author - Writer Has Been Accused of Exaggerating Memoir"
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/01/11/frey.lkl/
Posted:Thursday, January 12, 2006; 9:09 a.m. EST
From CNN: "LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The author of a best-selling memoir enthusiastically endorsed by talk show host Oprah Winfrey answered accusations Wednesday night from critics who say parts of the book are fabricated or exaggerated."
Having read and been impacted by James Frey's book, "A Million Little Pieces," I am shocked and disappointed that the author felt he needed to falsify details of his life that were included in his "memoir" about his battles to fight drug and alcohol addiction. After Winfrey stood up for the author on "Larry King Live," the author later came on her show and admitted to changing details of his life that were included in his book.
This brings up important issues about information. Who is responsible for this? Should the author be held accountable solely? Should the publisher be held accountable? Should the book be republished as fiction? Many look to print to be the last place left to find "the truth." With the ability to publish anything electronically/online on blogs, wikis, and websites, books have always seemed to be the last place one would expect to find a case of someone so misleading to their readers.
Are Frey's exaggerations enough to be called "lies?" He writes about a woman he had fallen in love with who hangs herself. He admitted on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" that she actually committed suicide by cutting her wrists. How far is too far when it comes to exaggeration? What does this mean for the publishing industry?
This story raises many questions about infomation and more specifically the publishing industry and future of books such as Frey's.
