my friend leonard
my friend leonard by James Frey
In the bold and heartbreaking my friend leonard, James Frey picks up the story of his extraordinary life pretty much where things left off in his a million little pieces, the fierce, in-your-face memoir about Frey’s kamikaze run of self-destruction and his days in rehab. Fresh from a stint in jail from pre-rehab-related charges (”On my first day in jail, a three hundred pound man named Porterhouse hit me in the back of the head with a metal tray.”), clean-living Frey returns to Chicago and gets sucker-punched with a cruel blow that will leave readers ducking for cover in anticipation of the blinding bender that’s sure to come. But then the titular Leonard, the larger-than-life Vegas mobster (”West Coast Director of a large Italian finance firm”) whom James befriended in rehab, steps into the story and serves equal parts unlikely life coach, guardian angel, and father figure for the grief-stricken author, adopting him as his “son” and schooling him in the fine art of “living boldly”:
Be not bold, be fucking BOLD. Every time you meet someone, make a f-cking impression. Make them think you’re the hottest shit in the world. Make them think they’re gonna lose their job if they don’t give you one. Look ‘em in the eye, and never look away. Be confident and calm, be f-cking bold.
Read extracts at the top of the page.
For UK:
Buy the book from Amazon.co.uk
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For Australia:
Buy the book from Angus & Robertson
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I almost liked this more than the first one. It’s fascinating to see him try to cope in the outside world, and Leonard is amazing. Also surprisingly funny!
—JS (2008-02-14 17:17:22)
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this and a million little pieces bought tears and laughter to my life. Absolutely amazing.
—nikki hutchinson (2008-03-29 23:07:45)
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a million little pieces is the best book i have ever read. i still cant put it down.
—wendy exley (2008-05-25 07:09:23)
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Damn good book.
—Lucy (2008-05-29 15:19:54)
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I was moved to tears after reading my friend Leonard. a million tiny pieces is also an amazing book and everyone should read them!
—Jenny (2008-06-04 15:49:14)
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I have honestly read a million little pieces seven times now. I think Ill have another go at it now. WORK OF ART!!!!!!
—melissa (2008-06-12 00:05:10)
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WOW!!!
—Maggie (2008-06-12 15:56:41)
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Have finished ‘My Friend Leonard’ yet but it won’t be long - a very good piece of semi-fiction. I can’t believe all this crap I’m seeing about the MLP furore - surely if somebody gets pleasure from a book, it doesn’t matter whether the truth has been tweaked a bit? Some people will complain about anything.
This book puts me in mind of ‘Vernon God Little’ somehow, except Vernon really doesn’t exist and is way more stupid. Looking forward to MLP and BSM
Nice work James.
—Duncan Paine (2008-07-08 16:24:40)
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i am a heroin and crack addict i am going to rehab in 2 days your book gave me the inspiration to choose life and stop living in the darkness i live in south Africa where there is poverty and quite a large amount of drug abuse. i believe it takes an addict to know and empathize with one. most critics give there say cause they are told by their bosses and what everyone else wants them to say. those who actually stand up and be different to what society says we have to be i salute you.
—caroline (2008-08-03 20:59:27)
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this is an amazing book! who cares if it’s a memoir or fiction? regardless, the book gives everyone an appreciation for the small and simple pleasures in life that we all tend to overlook. thank you, james frey, for opening my eyes.
—Eleanor (2008-08-17 07:31:15)
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Merci ,merci pour ce texte magnifique que j’ai terminé cette nuit et que de larmes versées à la fin de MON AMI LEONARD,c’est un livre débordant de tendresse,de désespoir mais où l’espoir renaît face à deux êtres qui nous prouvent que l’amitié entre deux êtres existe une belle amitié qui se moque des préjugés .Merci pour ce bonheur donné à la lecture de ce livre qui mérite d’être lu ,d’être offert à tous ceux et celles qui ne croient plus en la vie .Je vous aime James Frey vous êtes mon ami et ma porte et mon coeur vous sont ouverts à jamais moi qui était désespérée quand votre livre est arrivé dans mes mains MERCI de la part de Dominique une femme qui aurait aimé être aimé comme Lilly.Merci
—GUERRI (2008-08-20 08:35:08)
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