James Frey

Author of the novel, Bright Shiny Morning ...

James Christopher Frey is an American writer. His first book, the memoir, A Million Little Pieces, was published by John Murray in 2003. Its follow-up, My Friend Leonard (also a memoir) was published by in 2005. Both books became New York Times number one bestsellers. In late 2005 and early 2006, investigators discovered that elements of his memoir, A Million Little Pieces, had been fabricated. It was a great book in any case, so everybody's happy. Frey, along with his family, currently resides in New York City.

Before Frey began his writing career, he held several jobs in the Chicago area while studying at the Art Institute of Chicago. Frey then moved to Los Angeles, California and found work as a screenwriter, director, and producer. In the spring of 1996, Frey started writing A Million Little Pieces, a memoir of his experiences during his treatment for alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation.

Frey wrote the screenplays to the films Kissing a Fool, and Sugar: The Fall of the West. Both were produced in 1998, and he also directed the latter.

Doubleday published A Million Little Pieces in April, 2003. Amazon.com editors selected A Million Little Pieces as their favorite book of 2003. The New Yorker praised the book as "A frenzied, electrifying description of the experience."

In 2004, Frey wrote My Friend Leonard, which continues where A Million Little Pieces left off, and centres on the "father-son" relationship Frey and his friend, Leonard, whom he met in rehab. My Friend Leonard was published in 2005 by John Murray, and also became a bestseller.

In 2007, Frey wrote Bright Shiny Morning, a critically acclaimed novel/biography of the city of Los Angeles. Bright Shiny Morning was published in August, 2008 by John Murray. He has been published in thirty-one languages worldwide.

Fact file

Name: James Frey

Date of birth: 12/9/69

Education: Denison University

Born: Cleveland, Ohio.

Current home: New York City

Similar authors: Augusten Burroughs, Tom Sykes, Caroline Knapp, Mark Johnson