A Million Little Pieces

[InvisibleGuy]

I read this book over the weekend and just thought I'd share. In my experience, a lot of people that struggle with anxiety and depression also struggle with addiction issues. It usually starts as a way to escape depression, and as a way to calm down, a way to try to get a handle on the anxiety and sometimes it spirals out of control and turns into an addiction (as it did with me). As far as I know this is just a work of fiction but it could be true, I mean, it happens thousands of times over every single day. Reading it helped me remember I'm not alone.

(spoilers)
A lot of it centers around the main character and his stay in a drug rehabilitation center. I've been to several, and this is the most accurate portrayal of those places that I've ever read. His thought process totally mirrors my own, he thinks just like I do in a lot of ways. It's almost scary because his experiences pretty closely match my own. This book could pretty much be a biography about me lol. I even had my own "Lilly" that I met in one of those places, and she passed away in the same way Lilly did.

The ending, the last page is very sad, very depressing actually. But probably very true to what happens irl at the same time.

Anyway like I said I just thought it made me feel like I'm less alone with what I struggle with. If you struggle with addiction or know someone who does you might check it out, it's worth reading imo. Best book I've read in a long time.

[JamieWAgain]

I loved that book. Thanks for reminding me. I'm going to send it to someone important to me as I think she will relate to it as well.

[InvisibleGuy]

Welcome It's a pretty powerful story imo.

[CloudMaker]

I'm glad you found a good book books are great .... I am a librarian and love books

[kevinjoseph]

I heard this book was good, too! Does it take away from it at all that it was put forward as autobiographical and later found not to be true?

[InvisibleGuy]

I heard this book was good, too! Does it take away from it at all that it was put forward as autobiographical and later found not to be true?

Nah, it doesn't take anything away from it, not for me. I've heard that before. I've actually heard different accounts, some say it's based on a true story, some say it's pure fiction. I've been in several rehabs before, and I've known someone just like Leonard. Just like Lily. Just like Roy. Just like Lincoln. If it's not based on a true story, it might as well be because it happens thousands of times over, every day.

I think one of the things I like most about the book is it is very....real. In a raw, in-your-face, totally unapologetic way, it's very real. Nothing is sugar-coated. And there is no happy ending for a lot (most) of the characters. The author, James Frey, lets you feel it all. The hopelessness, betrayal, all the pain, the guilt, the regret. And all the love too.