Anyone who read "A Million Little Pieces", dealt with addiction, knows someone who has or just appreciates a good story will love this book.

I liked this book. The writing style of James Frey is very appealing to me. Also, the voice of the audiobook reader adds to the quality and enjoyment. The story of having to live our lives to other's expectations is hauntingly familiar, but not expected. I grew to like Leonard like an old friend.

> Prior to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding JF book of
> deceit, I for one was so impressed and moved by "Pieces". I read a
> book by a complete stranger that actually had a positive impact on
a
> close family members life. After the deceptive revelations
surfaced,
> all I did was pitty this lost soul, who was yearning for an
> identity, growing up troubled, but as an aspiring writer, with
> no "oh my god" memoir to write. Recognizing how mundane his life
> really was, he created an exciting one for himself in "Pieces"
> and "My Friend". His lies were not "white" they were potentially
> harmful to people searching for answers. The actual nerve of him
to
> become an advocate.
> Recently I visited JF website and after the host removed my
> recomendation for a memoir that actually proves his story in his
> website nicejewishfelon (author Michael Mehler) I was then
> booted and banned from JF site. I guess he didn't like the fact
that
> I expressed how JF could have hurt people. I then attempted again
to
> draw attention to Nice Jewish Felon where I felt total honesty and
> saw proof from the authors website. Perhaps Nice Jewish Felon and
> what I wrote to JF hit a nerve.
> The little respect that I had for JF is now gone, along with his
two
> books in my shelf, which are now in the garbage, where he belongs.
> Also, what nerve JF has for attempting to con Oprah (my girl) one
of
> the most respected people in the world.
> Love The Written Word
>
> A copy of my review of Nice Jewish Felon:
>
> The Jewish Junior Pink Panther, December 13, 2006
> Reviewer: love the written word (LA)- See all my reviews
> All I can say is HOLY S*#T!!!!!!!
> After stumbling upon Nice Jewish Felon, I gave it a chance after
> reading the author's quote in Newsweek's Perspectives, December 4,
> issue.
> Without giving away this facinating story, Nice Jewish Felon is
rich
> in content, drama and the all important "oh my god' factor. At
times
> I had to call a friend to discuss Felon as there were so
> many "things" to talk about, and begin to understand about this
> complicated individual.
> A must visit is to Mehler's web site nicejewishfelon which
> provides a nice "proof touch" to this facinating read. As a lover
of
> memoirs, I have never seen an author actually prove elements of
> their lives. This author did that. Going forward this will be the
> imaginary bar that authors will need to incorporate into their
> websites if they write a memoir, so as not to encounter a James
Frey
> fiasco again. Now I require proof from Augusten Burroughs, for me
to
> purchase another of his sensationalized books.
> Nice Jewish Felon is going to take you on an emotional ride,
buckle
> up.
> I gave it 4 stars and not 5 because I would have liked to see the
> pictures of Mehler's life which were incorporated, in his website,
> in his book.
> Again HOLY S^*T!!!!!!!

This book was phenominal! True or not, I dont care. I cried, I laguhed, and I mourned. My Friend Lenard goes to the top of my favorite book list!

James Frey's new book, "My Friend Leonard" is every bit as good if not better than "A Million Little Pieces". It captures you from the beginning to the end, filling you w/wonderment on how good the rehab is going....................a book to pick up and not put down until the conclusion.

It does not surprize me that this book has dropped over 200% in retail price. It wouldn't even get a passing grade in a beginning creative writing class - it's that poorly written. The fact that it's being promoted as "non-fiction" is an insult to the intelligence of consumers. I can only hope that we've seen the last of James Frey.

First of all, I know this is not an autobiography based completely on facts...........I DON"T CARE!! This is his interpretation of his life's events and so he dramatizes them, presents them in a way that is more memorable..........the point is that the story is excellent!!!!
My Friend Leonard picks up where A Million Little Pieces left off. James is released and goes off to find his girlfriend and things are not happily ever after. He copes with his addictions, with loss and with his inability to move forward. He faces challenge after challenge and just when you think he is on the verge of collapse, he pulls through. Leonard enters his life and offers him an opportunity to better his circumstances and although he is not quite comfortable with it, he decides to take another chance on the unknown. This is a compelling story that has an open and honest quality to it. This is not to say that the author purposely misleads anyone, what he does do is to take his life experiences and adapt them enough to keep you riveted to his story. It is a tremendous tale of dealing with the harsh realities of addiction, personal relationships and the multitude of choices that are laid before people on a daily basis. It is a story of consequences and responsibility and it is a story about finding faith in the future and hope in the present. I think that this author has faced a lot of criticism that he attempted to fend off in a manner that came back to smack him, in the same vein, he faced the criticism and dealt with it after the first book and deserves the recognition of being a talented and gifted writer.

Don't even attempt this book unless you have time to read it NOW. I couldn't put it down. I also read A Million Little Pieces, same thing.I'm looking forward to Mr. Freys next book.

This is an amazing story. Worth picking up and impossible to put down. I read it in less than 72 hours, which is a good timing for me considering my very busy schedule. On the negative side I do not like the new fashion of being "cool" by omitting punctuation and repeating words and phrases. I think literature should adhere to the old good rules of writing. On the other hand I am not bothered with Mr. Fray's recent unpopularity resulting form A Million Little Pieces affair... I liked both pieces.

I know the book and it's predecessor are all a big heap of lies, but if you approach it as strictly fiction, there's no denying the guy's a really great writer.Frey's frenetic style is the same as in "...Pieces", and although it's not the brutal foray into addiction recovery, it still manages to be both compelling and fast paced, as he pieces his life together after rehab and continues forging his relationship with gangster Leonard. Moralizing about integrity and honesty aside, I'll be interested to see what Frey produces next regardless of whether it's in the fiction, bio, or big fat liar section

Is it true? Apparently, almost none of it. So, please don't go into this book thinking you're reading a true story.

But to me, this is not necessary. I enjoy Augustin Burrough's books and I don't believe half the stuff in them. What is important is the quality of the writing, and at this Frey succeeds.

I would recommend reading A Million Little Pieces before this one, as it sets up this story.

James is awesome. I loved this book. I don't care if he elaborated or not....I escaped in my bedroom from my kids and went out to dinner with James, Leonard and Snapper and we ate like kings and had fun! Get this book. It is funny, touching and alive! I wish I had someone like Leonard in my life!!!

I found it an awkward read which made it difficult to relate to the story and the emotional content - this is a shame. A lot of the book read as though the author was desperately trying to create an edgy writing/sentence structure. My friend leonard is often stilted and moves with far too many one and two word sentences for my liking - far too 'clever'. Not the right read for someone who likes to find images in a more straight forward novel style.

This book was amazing. I felt like I was right there with Frey as he unwound this tale of friendship with Leonard. I loved the style of his writing and the depth of feeling that he exposed of himself to the reader. By the end of the book, I felt just as shocked as James was when Leonard revealed to him the true reason for his lengthy disappearance. I stayed up reading until I finished - couldn't put it down. Still pondering the incredible story. Makes one wonder what it would have been like to met Leonard and experience his incredible zest for life.

I am not sure how to explain how much I loved this book. If you read A Million Little Pieces, this book is a must. I think everyone needs to have a Leonard in their lives.

I just finished 'My Friend Leonard' minutes ago. My face is flush with dried tears, and I can't help but feel that Frey, Leonard and I, even Snapper, have been through a hell of a lot together. Frey's style of writing is unlike any other; it is poignant and at the same time abrasive. Regardless of whether or not he was in jail, regardless of what he may or may not have fabricated, Frey obviously writes each sentance with sincerity and purpose.
This is a honest, heart wrenching tale of life and death, love and love lost, of real friendship, ambition, sorrow, hope, temptation and all the obstacles we all face along the way. I recommend this book to everyone who has ever felt disappointment, and I am grateful to Frey for opening his life and helping me in my own personal journey.
"It takes a brave man to walk away, to care so much that he doesn't care about anything else, to be willing to obey what he feels inside, to be willing to suffer the consequences of living for himself."

I chose to read Frey's books despite the scandal, knowing that they were probably 99% ficton with an ounce of truth tossed in. If you can tolerate the offensive language and Frey's ability to ignore all rules pertaining to English grammar and punctuation (as well as the lies he admitted to), this book is rather entertaining. It's much easier to read than Million Little Pieces, as the subject matters are, for the most part, much lighter and laughable.

My Friend Leonard finds Frey in prison (yes, the prison he never went to), making arrangements to see Lilly in Chicago. Lilly's grandmother is dying in the hospital; Lilly is living in a recoverey home and working at the hospital. But her grandmother's death before Frey is released from prison leaves Lilly unexpectedly alone, and Frey isn't able to arrive soon enough to rescue her. Instead, he's left to pick up the tragic leftovers of their relationship for years to come.

In steps Leonard.... let the games begin. The entire book explores Frey's relationship with Leonard, both personal and business. Leonard is such a comical, yet mysterious character, that leaves you turning the pages hour after hour until the book is finished. The reader is taken to expensive, exclusive parties, meals consisting of endless food and drinks, and museums including only the finer things in life. By the end of the book, the reader learns the complete truth about Leonard, who he was, why he never married, why he never had children, and why he became so close to Frey.

This is worth the read if you can put the lies aside and read it as a fiction, leaving the scandal in the past. I think Frey is a great writer with a creative mind, although I will never agree with the way he became famous and the lies he told.

I was reading A Million Little Pieces when the whole "scandal" broke out about it not being truthful. I did not love A Million Little Pieces, but since I live in Chicago, I decided to read My Friend Leonard. I am glad I did. Going into it, you already know it is not true (it starts out with him in jail), but it is a really good read. I liked the way it was written and I was drawn into the story. I highly recommend this book..but just know going into it that it is fiction.

Ever liked a book and wondered why? Ever pondered over whether something should be taken literally or as a metaphor and then decided it didn't matter?

I have just finished reading 'My Friend Leonard'. The debate about the balance between true and not true, fact and fiction is unimportant to me. The message is powerful and continues the reclamation of self James starts in 'A Million Little Pieces'.

My sense is that the writing is as much a part of the journey as the underlying experience.

While continuing to confront his demons, James seems to make a form of peace with the world in which he lives. I suspect that those who read this book looking for absolute truth will be disappointed. Those who read the book looking for insights will gain even more if they see the story as the vehicle.

If you choose to read the book, try to do so with an open mind. James may well be economical with aspects of the truth, but the insights he gains along the journey seem very valuable to me.

Recommended.

I thought A Million Bits & Pieces was the best book I had ever read but My Friend Leonard is even better. James Frey keeps me turning pages faster than any author I have ever read, even Dan Brown in Angels & Demons. His story is surely one of hope and inspiration to all of us to keep on working on whatever it is that is our difficulty. His treatment of all beings human and animal with such great respect and humor is wonderful. To have a friend like Leonard was his great blessing - I don't care what line of work Leonard was in - his love for James was unconditional and vice-versa.

Million Little Pieces was one fantastic novel. It doesn't matter to me one bit that it's all or half fiction. I wish it was translated to Polish (man, I could try to do that!). Unfortunately, My Friend Leonard to Million Little Pieces is like weak tea to strong vodka. It lacks the tension, it lacks the spark. And as Frey pretends it to be a memoir, too, we all now the protagonist is going to end up as a rich writer, so there's just a question of getting rid of title Leonard somewhere along the way.
Poorly constructed, plain boring.

Your enjoyment of this book will depend directly on your reaction to the nastiness that followed revelations about "A Million Little Pieces." If you found Frey's untethered writing style liberating and his story engaging, you will like this one as much as the first. If you are bothered by what is true and what is embellished, "Leonard" will trouble you from the start. It's too bad in many ways, because both of these books are unique and insightful. They are good tales, but many readers are turned off by the notion that the tales are taller than advertised. My advice is: if you don't give a whit about what Oprah says or about what the haughty critics are saying, go for it. If you are more interested in the controversy than the books themselves, I offer the following piece I wrote in a rage way back when the truth first surfaced.

I'd been on the run a long time and I knew the cops were at my heels. They missed me by seconds over in Fresno. I caught the squawking of their scanners as they came up the stairs and I beat feet through a window and onto a fire escape. A big bull of a cop was waiting for me on the ground and we fought. He had me in a chokehold and I felt my freedom slipping away, along with my wind. But I came around after a few seconds and beat him down. When I left the musclehead, he was writhing in a mound of trash.

Those were hot, desperate times over on the West Coast. Everywhere I turned, those gumshoes were right behind me. I caught a train for Chicago and laid low there for a while. Then some U.S. marshals sniffed me out of the rathole flat I was living in and a whole squadron of them swooped in. I duked it out with another gorilla and managed to escape, this time through a dumbwaiter.

It's all hazy. The strip joint mix-up in Manhattan, the meth lab down in Baltimore, the brothel in Tennessee. I was using a lot then and the memories are fuzzy, like a blown-out photograph on a computer monitor. Running from The Man, fighting with The Man, knocking The Man down and beating feet.

Yeah, I was on the run a long time and I saw some crazy stuff. I was just a kid, but I was faster, meaner and slicker than the rest. I hear someone wrote a folk song about me in Tucson. In the Midwest they named a tornado in my honor. That's me, all right. Powerful, unpredictable and enigmatic.

Great stories I could tell for a lifetime. Too bad none of them are true. I just felt like going James Frey for a while. I felt like recreating my youth in hopes that people would believe it and find me heroic. Hey, feel free to send me money if my story has moved you.

I don't mean to get down on Frey and his struggle with booze and drugs. I think it's admirable that he conquered his addictions through sheer will and that he chose to write about his travails. What irks me is that he invented a majority of his experiences and then asked his reading public to believe it without question. One gets the feeling that Frey sat through a few group therapy sessions and felt inadequate for the tales he had to tell.

Which is fine. When one guy starts talking big, the guy next to him will start talking bigger. It's what we do. We are hardwired by evolution to build tales as high as they will go when we are in the company of our peers.

The problem I have with Frey is that he presents his struggles as mightier than those of the the next alcoholic or the next addict. He asks that you believe his battle was more valiant and harder fought.

He scrapped with cops. He served long prison stretches. He threw down with every officer and lost a girl while he was in the slammer. He suffered through a double root canal without anesthesia, stared down a Mafioso and established himself as the toughest hombre in rehab. He lost a girlfriend to a train wreck and spent his young years drinking away her memory.

At an AA meeting, it would make a great drunkalogue. Few people would bother to check the facts. But, sell a few million copies of a book and people will rightfully begin asking questions. They will find the police reports that reveal only minor arrests. They will find officer statements describing you as polite and cooperative, instead of combative and powerful. They will check prison records and find that you were never there. They will learn that the young lady killed by the train was never your girlfriend, and that you were never the neighborhood ruffian.

And so as the lies stack up, we start to wonder if Frey's sins of hyperbole are equal to or greater than those of someone like Jayson Blair. Blair fabricated news stories and hornswoggled those who trusted him. Frey deceived people who needed to believe the most - the suicidal drinkers and ragged-edge druggers who were inspired by his story. When they learned about his deceits, they might have felt they had been betrayed yet again, that there was one more entity in which they could not believe.

Mothers of rowdy children might claw your eyes out if you utter a word of criticism about Frey's book. Because they want to believe that even bad kids are essentially good, and that change is always possible. And while that may be true, Jim Frey should not be the symbol of the transformation.

Jayson Blair, Jim Frey. Two men who concocted clever mixtures of fact and lies and hoped they would ring true. Two men who fooled their audience for a time and then were called on it. A word of advice for them both: If you want to make things up, write fiction. People may still condemn your work. But at least they can't call you a liar.

Mark LaFlamme, author of "The Pink Room."

OK! I don't know how much of this book is actually non fiction,
but what a heartwarming and at times extremely sad story. It seems to take up where AMLP left off.

James is just out of (jail?), and on top of recovering from drugs and booze has a terrible trama in his life and in walks Leonard to help him through it. I loved the Leonard character, although he is supposed to be some kind of gangster, James brings out a funny and soft side of him. I just couldn't get enough of Leonard. Some parts of the book tend to drag a little, my favorite were when James is with Leonard and his friend Chopper. Leonard's fatherly booming voice greeting James with "MY SON, MY SON!" is addictive. I read my favorite parts over and over again.
Even if parts of this book are not true, it is a very moving story.

excellent follow up to a million little pieces with some sorrowful twists

I loved it almost as much as his first book! Who cares if it really happened or not...so much controversy over the whole deal.

I'm not one to really care one way or the other about the recent controversy surrounding Frey's books.

I thought this book was great. I read it in just a few days. I like Frey's writing a great deal and this book was no exception!

If you liked the first book, you'll not be disappointed in this one!

I read his first book, A Million Little Pieces and this is just as good. I hope he keeps writing.

This book gives a good picture of what happens during recovery from any kind of addiction. Sometimes people think that life will be a "bed of roses" once they stop using but the truth is that life is not always fair and that things do continue to happen but recovery means learning to deal with life on life's terms not on our terms. The book left me feeling warm and cozy. The love between friends, of which the book is about, is one of God's greatest gifts. I love the author's writing style. It is so new and refreshing.

To really enjoy and understand this book, I believe you need to have read A Million Little Pieces by the same author. Where the first book takes you through the beginning of the author's recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, My Friend Leonard gives you some insight into the continuation of the author's recovery and his relationships with a few of the other characters in the first book.

Although the author has been criticized severely because of the question of whether these two books are written in the true spirit of memoirs, both give the reader very good insite into what faces someone trying to recover from addiction to alcohol, drugs or both.

I would recommend the reading of both of these books to anyone who is a recovering addict, to anyone who is trying to cope with living with a recovering addict, and for anyone who is trying to understand what is becoming a large part of our society, addiction.

As soon as I heard that My Friend, Leonard was coming out, I ordered it, as I wanted to see what in the world was going to happen next to "James" as he entered life of sobriety without a Higher Power, other than Leonard. James had indicated that Leonard had died of AIDS in his first book - so I thought there might be more of an in-depth study of this relationship. However it just seemed as though he continued this kind of fairy godfather story - the "all-knowing, all wise, all powerful" Leonard who gave all, appeared at the right moment, and somehow James never noticed he might be gay.

I understood that with all the commotion around the veracity of his last book - James was quick to note that this was fiction - still it seemed to me to be a very simplistic fantasy that wasn't any very interesting in the long run. There surely was a "real" Leonard there - not just an alter ego of James or a version of an H. P. - James as God. That much arrogance always indicates low self-image. So though he is sober for 13 years or so, I would hope for some more maturing.

I think there is some talent for writing. I enjoyed his inimitable style of writing more in the first book - somehow it seemed tedious in the second book. I would buy a third book - hoping for some growth. I have respect for anyone who is willing to get up and write a book. Time to get honest, James.

this book is even more unbelievable than the first. I have to say that the only reason I bought this book was out of curiosity due to all of the controvery surrounding the first book. It was a big dissapointment, don't waste your time.

This man can write! He is an absolute natural wonder. I wish I could get him to write my story.

After reading A Million Little Pieces, it is hard not to just devour My Friend Leonard. Despite the recent controversy, I think these are fine works of art, regardless of their historical accuracy. As Oscar Wilde used to say, a book is neither good nor bad; it is well written or it is poorly written. And My Friend Leonard, like its predecessor A Million Little Pieces, is a brilliantly written book.

Simply put, it gives you the rest of the story. It shows you how James "held on" even after rehab. How he managed everyday life, work, heartbreak and finally his greatest loss. Must read!

Before my book arrive I had started reading another book, but once this book arrived I quickly put the book down and started reading, My Friend Leonard, I enjoyed A Million Little Pieces, but I was outdone, I could not put this book down, as I read this book, I smiled, Laughed and cried, because of the friendship, love, dedication of friends and loved ones, this book has touched me in a positive way just when I was going through personal, emotional pain. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

a little bit out there but a great continuation of "A Million LIttle Pieces"

I read this book knowing the controversy following the "fiction or nonfiction" issue. Regardless of it's truthfulness, I enjoyed the story line. It was as well written as the first book, and the characters continue to be interesting and believable. I think I read the book in three sittings, so it really kept me hooked in. For me, that's what makes a good book.

My Friend Leonard was a great sequel (a continuation) to "A MIllion Little Pieces". If you want to know the end of the story, you must read "My Friend Leonard".

THE STORY CONTINUES WHERE A MILLION LITTLE PIECES LEFT OFF. iT WAS A GOOD STORY BUT IT DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH OR EMOTION THAT JAMES FREY'S OTHER BOOK HAD. ALTHOUGH FROM RECENT NEWS i DO NOT FEEL CHEATED OTHER THAN THE BOOKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN LABELED AS NOVELS.

I've read about half of the book. But I am having a difficult time finishing it knowing how much he lied about everything.

DID NOT RECEIVE THESE BOOKS. YOU WERE UNABLE TO MAKE DELIVERY.

The flack surrounding this author has spoiled my interest. Wanna but an used- but still new!- copy?

Okay, so even though a lot of it isn't true, doesnt mean that you shouldn't read it. This is a great book to read for any person. It keeps you wanting to read it. It keeps you wanting to know about Leonard. And James Frey's struggle with love. Anyway, I would totally recomend this book to anyone who can forgive James Frey for his lying.

dont' get me wrong james frey isw a good writer but with the discovery that many parts of his first book are out and out lies i dont know what to make of this one

This book was good, not as riveting as Million Little Pieces, but more heart felt in many instances. Kept me laughing and crying until the very end.

I thought this book was comparable to James Frey's other book, A Million Little Pieces. However, I found myself wondering throughout the book how much of it really happened, in light of the controvery over his other book.

Because of this, while I enjoyed the story, I was distracted during the majority of the book.

I completely agree with the previous review and thus have not had the least interest in reading this fabrication. If I thought the bookstore would take it back, I'd return it. As it is, I consider it a lesson learned at a relatively cheap price.

after reading all the postive reviews of a book that is mostly made up of lies I, too, am inspired to pawn off a fictionalized memoir to all the suckers out there.

The truly sad thing is there are people out there with real addiction problems who do need help. I spent the first year (or did I) of my teaching career working at a juvenille detention facility in Colorado. Instead of spending your money on a book written by a guy looking for a quick dollar why don't you invest the money, or better yet your time with those who really are suffering with real problems.

If you read A Million Little Pieces and then wondered what became of everyone, this is a great book. I finished A Million Little Pieces a few days before all the controversey broke. I still think its an excellent book and I love the way he writes. I really enjoyed My Friend Leonard and could care less how much is true and how much is totally made up. Its a BOOK and I read it for entertainment. It was very entertaining and I hope to see more from Mr. Frey.

I would strongly recommend this book. It's great continuation of A Million Little Pieces.