A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
This is a semi-fictional book written about the disturbing and destructive life of a man in his 20’s who is struggling with an overwhelming and deadly drug and alcohol addition. The main character and author of the book, James Frey, is a 23 year old man who finds himself entering a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center after an incident that leaves him battered, bruised and broken. The man, named James, has hit rock bottom after chronically abusing his body and mind for years with mind altering substances.
The book begins with James waking up on an airplane in flight. He has serious injuries and no recollection of how he came to be where he was. After questioning staff on the plane, he is told that he is on his way to Chicago, but he still does not know why. Upon leaving the plane, James find himself greeted by his parents who he has not been in contact with for some years who take him to a family home. They ask him to seek help and James agrees. They take him to a rehabilitation center in Minnesota, where he begins the painful, terrifying and rewarding process of quitting drugs and alcohol.
For years, James has been abusing drugs and alcohol, running from the police, ruining relationships and slowly killing himself. His life has little meaning or purpose. He has caused pain and suffering to those closest to him and has lost hope in having a life worth living. He distanced himself from his mother and father, because they became a burden to his lifestyle. Alcohol and drugs are the only thing that he knows and he has been unable to give them up. He formed artificial families as a way of feeling acceptance of his substance abuse issues. He is angry, hurt, pathetic and lost. Revealing the pain and suffering of substance abuse,, this book shows another side to rehabilitation that most people have not gone through in a very detailed recollection. The pain, suffering and courage that drug and alcohol addicts experience as...