Before I start, I’m aware that James Frey is a controversial writer that apparently falsified information in his “memoir,” but since I didn’t read that book, I really don’t have an opinion on it.
What I can say is that his latest book, Bright Shiny Morning, is a fantastic book.
The book takes place entirely in Los Angeles, and the city itself is a main character in the book. The rest of the book focuses on four main stories, but there are many other very short stories throughout the book that give you a taste of what it’s like to live in L.A.
The four main stories are:
- Amberton, a vain, world-famous, macho actor who is not what he appears.
- Esperanza, a “border baby” with big thighs who’s looking for love for the first time in her life.
- Dylan and Maddie, two teenagers from the southeast who run away from home to get away from abusive parents.
- Old Man Joe, a bum that lives on Venice Beach, looking for meaning in his life.
Each of these four stories keeps you riveted, and each could easily be an entire novel on their own. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book. I thought it was amazing. One thing that may bother some readers is Frey’s peculiar writing style (little punctuation, run-on sentences, etc.), but you get used to it quickly and it actually (to me) enhances the story as it really puts you in the mind of the characters.
Go read this book! You won’t regret it.
Related posts:
- Short Book Review: Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
- Short Book Review: No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
- Short Book Review: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle
- Short Book Review: Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin
- Short Book Review: Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
#1 by Andrea on July 3rd, 2008
Thanks for the rec! I’m always looking for something to read. (And let the record show that, even though it was probably false, I liked A Million Little Pieces.)
#2 by RagingDad on July 3rd, 2008
Thanks for the tip! Speaking of authors who have an acquired style and use little punctuation, I’ve been reading Cormac McCarthy lately. Amazing stuff.
Fun to read your blog!