James Frey's 'Bright Shiny Morning': the reaction

Does it surprise anybody that James Frey's novel "Bright Shiny Morning" is attracting so much attention?

Even though this book has nothing to do with the scandal around "A Million Little Pieces," and even though there is some distance -- more than two years -- separating this book's appearance from Frey's auto da fe on "Oprah," there has been plenty of response on the Web. Reactions have centered mostly on the differences between our paper's review by Times book editor David Ulin and Janet Maslin's for the New York Times.

Dana Goodyear notes, at her blog for the New Yorker, that the extreme difference of opinion in the reviews attests to the book's "coastally polarizing effect." East Coasters love it because they think it's about Los Angeles; West Coasters don't, because they know it doesn't really reflect L.A. at all.

What do they think in Texas? That they need another review to sort things out.

Mediabistro calls Janet Maslin's review for the New York Times a "love letter" and asks whether mimicking Frey's writing style in the review is "dreadful."

Did she read the review aloud or go back and revise it? In a video on Amazon, Frey says, "When I'm writing it, I sort of work on every sentence as a sentence, and I speak it to myself, and I rewrite it until it sounds the way I hear it in my head. Once I've got that, you know, I just move on. I don't revise, really. I don't read, at all."

Meanwhile, "Bright Shiny Morning" has rocketed from No. 666 on Amazon a week ago to No. 25.

Carolyn Kellogg

Comments

[Jim, Oregon]

I'm sure that at least one person is pleased with the bi-coastal "schism" --- Frey himself.

All of this just goes to show that people "back" east just don't get it about the West. That's OK. My kids had the opportunity to attend eastern colleges but wouldn't have it. The question that's apparent to those of us who live here --- why would anyone want to live somewhere else?

[Sarah]

I just picked up this book from my library (because I won't give that man a CENT of my money...). The print is freaky-looking. Small, but also a very strange type/font.

[olivia]

finished the book in 2 days and I loved it. i felt like i knew the main characters. i'm still a fan.

[hal]

I really enjoyed this book.I finished it in 3 days; I couldn't put it down. There are a lot of bad reviews out there, I think some are still bitter over his last novel but I would definitely give this one a shot!!!!

[grace]

James Frey is a lying, greedy little ----. He got off the hook way too easy for A Million Little Pieces. He's sick.

[Carol]

I think Oprah is a bigger fake than James Frey will ever be and has been paid a lot more money for it... LOVE HIS WRITING. Love this book, can't put it down.

[Chantal]

Just finished the book today. I thought it was absoultey fantastic. All the main characters in the novel were very interesting, and each had their own signifiance to the novel. James frey used fact about Los Angelas and wrote it iinto an unreal novel that will count as of my favorites!