My Friend Leonard (Paperback)
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Description
The New York Times bestselling follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller A Million Little Pieces-the heartrending story of a friendship between a newly-sober James and the charismatic, high-living mobster he met in rehab, Leonard.
A Million Little Pieces was the first Oprah Book Club pick by a living author in over two years. It instantly became a #1 New York Times bestseller, a #1 USA Today bestseller, and a #1 Publishers Weekly bestseller, with over 1.7 million copies in print.
My Friend Leonard picks up right where Pieces leaves off. A New York Times bestseller in its own right before the Oprah pick, My Friend Leonard is James Frey's story of his friendship with Leonard, the larger-than-life mobster who "adopted" James as he left rehab. Leonard, who offers James lucrative-if illegal, mysterious, and slightly dangerous-employment when he needs it. Leonard, of the secret deals, of the surprising passions that belie his violent career choice, of fantastic generosity and ferocious loyalty. Leonard, who has been holding on to some remarkable secrets, and who has invested in their friendship more than James could ever imagine.
My Friend Leonard is, at its core, about the responsibility that comes with loving someone and going out on any number of limbs to care for them. And it is a book that proves that one of the most provocative literary voices of his generation is also one of the most emphatically human.
About the Author
James Frey is the author of the memoir A Million Little Pieces.
Author photo by Annelore Van Herjiwen
Praise for My Friend Leonard…
"As smart as it is heartfelt, this tribute to friendship is a far sunnier book than Frey''s debut.... Frey''s cool, shrewd eye for detail ties it all together, whether he''s describing the inside of a jail, a Super Bowl party, or the plaintive rootlessness of life in Los Angeles." —Malcolm Jones, Newsweek
"he engrossing story of a bizarre friendship between the author and a dangerous mobster." —People
"Frey''s appeal lies in his ability to tell his down and dirty, hair-raising story in sparse, hypnotic prose--in this sense he''s already a master stylist, of kind. No subject , no height or depth of human experience is too extreme for him to come around on with deadeye grace and force of his beautiful, sad, potent, irresistible prose." —Elle
"Has a ferocity and a narrative drive that won''t surprise Frey''s fans, but is full of unexpected heart that might." —Details
“Suffused with anger and regret, written by a man who has straddled the line between life and death and has taken his time figuring out which side he wants to jump to. He spares no gory details.” —Poets & Writers Magazine (cover story)
"Brave and bold... This is not a document but a rendering, just as Van Gogh''s self-portrait distorts his face to capture the riot of emotions behind the eyes... Frey describes how he put feelings back into his life, and the effect is vivid, splashy, mesmerizing. Indeed, he has put the Technicolor back into the memoir." —Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Examines [Frey’s] relationship with the title figure, a Las Vegas mobster who helps him through rehab, jail and the terrifying terrain of sobriety…a tender story of male friendship.” —Chicago Tribune
“My Friend Leonard is just as compelling as the first book, with the same electrifying narrative energy, stylistic daring and atmosphere of emotional risk…Frey is exceptionally good at conveying the emotional truths behind the events he relates. His portrait of his friendship with Leonard is deeply resonant and offers a fuller human portrait of a gangster than you’re likely to find anywhere else.” —Bookpage
“[A] great story by a talented writer.” —Wisconsin State Journal
“[A] must-read.” —Sacramento Bee
"
What makes the book as difficult and challenging as its predecessor is Frey’s ability to meet his new losses head-on. What makes it more inspiring is his determination to see things through, without the drugs as a crutch, to their unfortunate, heartbreaking end...Frey succeeds in making Leonard cut fast and close to the core." —Time Out New York
"Frey achieves another stylistic coup... Frey''s style throughout is loose, untraditional, but perfectly crafted... This book packs a full emotional wallop... Frey''s extraordinary relationship with Leonard is alive, a flesh-and-blood bond." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A fine, grim tale full of smarting immediacy… A small fortune could be made by bottling this story and selling it as an antidote to self-pity. Frey will have to settle for the small fortune it will make in big sales.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“A raw, often visceral, reading experience. With Frey’s emotions so close to the surface, it’s impossible not to care about Frey’s struggles to reintegrate into society and prosper. Another powerful read from a talented, dynamic author.” —Booklist (starred, boxed review)
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