"Well, the book will hit pretty close to home if you know an addict."
Two seconds later, I receive a "why-would-you-say-that-to-me" look. I guess the comment was unreasonable.
Oprah placed James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" on her book club reading list for the month of October. Every time I've worked at the bookstore since then, I've seen many a fit, stroller-pushing mother slide the book onto the register.
The memoir details a 23-year-old Frey as he battles a crack addiction in rehab. It is raw. It is disgusting. It is truthful. It is stunning. But it is still gorgeous.
Nothing is glamorized. Frey describes getting a root canal without any anesthetic. He documents his withdrawals and how he would break his fingernails off to divert the pain. Frey falls in love with a fellow addict, who later hangs herself.
I'm going to be honest; I only picked up the book because the cover was cute. It turned out to be the best thing I've ever read -- even though I could barely read it. I developed a love/hate relationship with "A Million Little Pieces." As I read on lunch breaks, on the couch or before bed, I cried.
Every page managed to hurt me, but I couldn't stop reading. Anyone with any sort of tie to the subject of addiction will understand.
To say the least, it sure as hell isn't a fairytale. There is no happy ending. And it's not what Oprah Book Club readers are looking for.
"A Million Little Pieces" does not share the simple beauty of Pearl S. Buck's "The Good Earth." It also does not read gracefully like Maya Angelou's poetry.
Oprah's middle-aged female audience is expected to like these works that were previously on Oprah's list. The books are a safe bet. "A Million Little Pieces," on the other hand, is not.
But because Oprah endorsed it, and even had the author on the show on Oct. 26, sales skyrocketed.
Nine weeks ago, "A Million Little Pieces" was introduced to The New York Times bestseller list at No. 1. It has remained at the top position since. I commend Oprah for praising the book. I just don't think her audience will do the same.
Sherri Caldwell, writer for the Web site rebelhousewife.com, contributed to the sales boost after learning "A Million Little Pieces" was named Oprah book No. 56. In her "rebel review," Caldwell notes buying the book with "eager anticipation."
I can picture her as one of the women I rang up on Black Friday -- "A Million Little Pieces" bought alongside books by Danielle Steele or Dan Brown. It just doesn't make sense.
But anyway, it didn't quite make sense to Caldwell either. She admitted to stopping the book after 100 pages. She "gave in" after reading about the root canal sans medication.
In her review, Caldwell reminds the reader her "precious few opportunities" to read must involve some sort of "enjoyment, pleasure, inspiration, maybe even to learn something new."
Next, she adds, "There is none of that for me in 'A Million Little Pieces.'"
Surprising. Even though she is a "rebel," I guess this was too much for her to handle.
Caldwell is definitely entitled to her own opinion (though I strongly disagree with her). I'm afraid that her opinion will speak for the masses of Oprah's followers.
Celeste Sepessy is a journalism and Italian freshman. Reach her at celeste.sepessy@asu.edu.
