Bright Shiny Morning

James81 · May 20, 2008

Has anybody read this yet?

It's at the top of my list of things to read. I loved A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard was pretty good.

I know there's a lot of controversy surrounding the author (James Frey), but you know, I find it hard to really give a shit about that stuff. I love his writing style and I can't wait to see how he does fiction.

Just curious if others have read it yet and what you thought.

Soccer Mom · May 20, 2008

I thought all his writing was fiction?

I'll go way now.

Haven't read either book.

James81 · May 20, 2008

Soccer Mom said:
I thought all his writing was fiction?

HAHAHAHAHA

TerzaRima · May 20, 2008

I could not bear A Million Little Pieces--that's not actually writing, it's typing. For that book I ignored my usual dronelike work ethic of you will finish this book no matter how much it sucks finish it finish it now. I may have thrown it across the room. There may have been one or two Anglo-Saxon epithets, and a fleeing dog.

In any case, the whole fiction vs biography kerfuffle? So moot.

James81 · May 20, 2008

TerzaRima said:
I could not bear A Million Little Pieces--that's not actually writing, it's typing. For that book I ignored my usual dronelike work ethic of you will finish this book no matter how much it sucks finish it finish it now. I may have thrown it across the room. There may have been one or two Anglo-Saxon epithets, and a fleeing dog.

I, on the other hand, am going to buy the book and read it like the bible.

Probably one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I admit I was in a bad space when I read it, so it probably reached me on an emotional level because of that, but I wouldn't call it "not actually writing". Personally, I thought the style was a breath of fresh air from the typical hum-drum, typical BS that's out there today.

DWSTXS · May 20, 2008

James81 said:
I, on the other hand, am going to buy the book and read it like the bible.

Probably one of the most powerful books I've ever read. I admit I was in a bad space when I read it, so it probably reached me on an emotional level because of that, but I wouldn't call it "not actually writing". Personally, I thought the style was a breath of fresh air from the typical hum-drum, typical BS that's out there today.

I agree. I think that Frey is an amazing writer. I'm looking forward to his newest. The 'scandal' over his memoir didn't really bother me. I find it very difficult to believe that EVERY memoirist out there writes EXACTLY what has occured. I believe that their perception of what happened to them, over time, gets corroded, and what we always get with memoirs is what they think happened, or what was 'pretty close to the truth' of what really happened.

Will Lavender · May 20, 2008

Read two reviews yesterday.

One was a rave. The other an absolute hatchet job. (Both came from huge publications.)

Interesting. And I would say that the reviews will mostly look at Frey the man rather than the novel itself.

James81 · Jun 6, 2008

This finally came in at the library yesterday.

I took it home and started reading it, and before I knew it, three hours and 150 pages slipped by.

James Frey is the only author that I know of that I can START reading and think in the first few pages that I just can't get around the different style to finish, but then just absolute GRIP you and keep you into his books.

Some may call his style crap (and probably because he breaks about every literary rule in the book), but man, he can really suck you in with his style. You have to give him points for the raw, real writing.

James81 · Jun 27, 2008

I finished this one up a few days ago.

Definately a great read. Unique. He could've left all the little "facts" crap out of it and made it so much better, but then again, I think the point of that "facts" stuff was to show us that the main character of his book is not a person, but, rather, a city.

I skimmed the facts stuff towards the end.

The thing I like about his style is that you can read a paragraph and feel like you just read a chapter. Seems like there's so much packed into each paragraph, which in turn really builds the tension.

Alice.S · Jun 27, 2008

The title reminds me of that song.....early one morning the sun was brightly shine-high-ning!...from pollyanna

Bright Shiny Morning

James81

Great Scott Member

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

James81

Great Scott Member

TerzaRima

Absinthe O'Malice

James81

Great Scott Member

DWSTXS

Mr Mojo Risin...

Will Lavender

Everything is what it seems.

James81

Great Scott Member

James81

Great Scott Member

Alice.S

just ate all your candy