Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

My Friend Leonard

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 21,540 ratings · 1,267 reviews

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 bes...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Published May 30th 2006 by Riverhead Trade (first published January 1st 2005)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Best Strange and Twisted Memoirs

19th out of 137 books — 498 voters

Best Memoir / Biography / Autobiography

308th out of 1,801 books — 1,737 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 06, 2008 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked up "My Friend Leonard" by James Frey. This book is the follow up to "A Million Little Pieces" which is the book that started such a furor last year. The one that the author claimed to be true and the Smoking Gun website discovered was more likely an exaggeration of the truth. Oprah went a lil crazy and everyone trashed the guy. What a lot of people didn't take into account is that "true" or "somewhat true" "A Million Little Pieces" was a great book. A story of the hell of rehabilitaion...more I picked up "My Friend Leonard" by James Frey. This book is the follow up to "A Million Little Pieces" which is the book that started such a furor last year. The one that the author claimed to be true and the Smoking Gun website discovered was more likely an exaggeration of the truth. Oprah went a lil crazy and everyone trashed the guy. What a lot of people didn't take into account is that "true" or "somewhat true" "A Million Little Pieces" was a great book. A story of the hell of rehabilitaion from drugs and alcohol that rings true whether or not some of the details are fabricated. There's a review of it somewhere in these blogs ) if you care to look for it. But bottom line, I highly recommend taking the time to read it. Now, "My Friend Leonard" picks up the author's life after he gets out of rehab and tells you how his life progressed from then on with the help, often uninvited, of his friend Leonard. Frey's frantic style of writing keeps the pages turning and before you know it the end is happening. The characters in Frey's books just kind of speak to you in a personal way. As I said before, the details that are fabricated don't matter, it's the kernel of truth that seems to shine through that keeps you interested. Leonard is entirely too much of a good thing wrapped in a bad package to be entirely real but it's inconsequential. Because I would give my left leg to have a Leonard and so would most of the people I know. James Frey is a better man for having a Leonard and he knows it. And this is his way of acknowledging it. Good for Mr Frey, I'm fuckin' jealous. I'm also glad he decided to share Leonard with me because it made me smile thinking that if a fuck up like James Frey could find a Leonard (real or not, something helped steer him towards life) than anyone can. Hopeful thoughts aren't necessarily plentiful these days so when a good one comes along snatch it outta the air and keep it for awhile.
I started this book on the bus Sunday and just finished it this afternoon. And I've gotta say, I kinda wish there was more of it to read
(less)

like 25 likes · see review

Jun 30, 2007 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this one was so much more far-fetched than A Million Little Pieces. If I doubted Pieces, this one I downright didn't believe. Once again it should have been promoted as fiction, although actually I think it may have been promoted as such. I thought Pieces was better because it described so much struggling to get to where he got, and My Friend Leonard was pretty much "here I am, la-di-da" with good things happening all the time and a good ending and everyone is happy ever after. Totally...more

like 2 likes · see review

Nov 07, 2011 nik rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a follow-up for A Million Little Pieces. You should read AMLP before reading this one. I am deeply touched by AMLP. So I expected nothing less from this book. And as expected … It exceeded my expectations.

The story starts with James getting out from Rehab. Serving his jail-time and waiting until his time there dies out. The scary future full of hope with Lilly is what he's living for. Excitement and Anxiety flows with each beat of his heart each heartbeat spent without Lilly seems to be...more This is a follow-up for A Million Little Pieces. You should read AMLP before reading this one. I am deeply touched by AMLP. So I expected nothing less from this book. And as expected … It exceeded my expectations.

The story starts with James getting out from Rehab. Serving his jail-time and waiting until his time there dies out. The scary future full of hope with Lilly is what he's living for. Excitement and Anxiety flows with each beat of his heart each heartbeat spent without Lilly seems to be a waste of fucking time. A few seconds seemed to be an eternity if you're waiting. Eternity seemed to fit in a few seconds when you're in love. Prior to his exit from jail, Lilly calls. James, oblivious that they nearing their last exchange of words. As he goes to the world outside, his only thought is to see Lilly, it's as if it's the only thought left in his mind. Tragedy strikes. The world outside has nothing better to offer to him. Lilly put herself into oblivion. She evacuated her body.

The feeling the pain the guilt the regret the betrayal the loneliness the nothingness the emptiness the lost the rage the fury the feeling of destroying oneself cocooned James. He strives to find the strength he need to hold. To relapse and die to join Lilly or to move on hold on live and survive James have to make his choice.

Yeah, Don't get it wrong. This book isn't about their Love Story –part of it is but it's about his friend Leonard, a friend that he met when he was in the Treatment Center that later wants to have James as his Son. Throughout the story, Leonard plays the role of a father for the Stubborn James. He does whatever he can for James. Each time that they'll eating out together I join them. The way James write about the food always make me hungry as I read. Leonard is a fucking rich mobster too fucking rich. Leonard offers James everything but James as we all know him obviously says no he wants to stand on his own two feet. And so it goes … A story of friendship that's gonna touch your heart deeply and smash your heart into A Million Little Pieces … A life destroyed and a life recovered.

Enough for the attempt to summarize. My heart went through that as I were reading this. Even now. Though I have read the Smoking Gun and be wary of the controversy, that shit didn't matter to me. The truth I know is that James Frey is a very very very excellent writer. His unique fresh raw emotional writing style makes other books look like pussies. He keeps those pages turning. Captivating. Once you read one page, you can later feel your eyes glued to its pages and when you put it down your eyes stick and go with it. His streams-of-consciousness contactful narrative prose makes you despise time when it tells you to stop reading. An unorthodox structure that breaks the laws of traditional writing.

I was really into the story. Compared to A Million Little Pieces this is deeply more emotional. It's gripping. I laughed fucking hard screamed WHAT THE FUCK! A heavy book filled with raw feelings it's so emotive that I cried until my eyes hurt. Yet, I still continue reading. I feel wounded reading the story. The struggles the worse shit I felt it. Fuck yeah. Wounded people are beautiful. When I say wounded, it's in past tense –the means the wound is healed. So what heals most of wounds? They say time … not really. The world can't heal all wounds also … So what is it? … It's Love.

Love heals what the World and Time can't.

To hold on. Hold on because the shit will soon get better. To live with dignity To be bold Not bold to be fucking bold!

A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard. These books are so fucking epic. Fiction or whatever, it doesn't matter to me. These simply touched my life and that's what it's about. It's not all about expressing oneself it's also about leaving fingerprints in every life one touches.

He left me fingerprints.
(less)

like 6 likes · see review

Jul 31, 2007 Amanda Linehan rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who read A Million Little Pieces

It always takes me a while to get into James Frey's style of writing, but once I get past it I'm sucked into the books. Sadly, I'm willing to overlook the fact that he made parts of the book up because it's a good read; that said, I found the plot to be totally predictable in the way that only fictional stories can be. Life just doesn't arc that way, and it doesn't operate in a sea of cliches like this book does. It is distracting as you're reading to realize that the improbable parts are likely...more

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 02, 2011 oriana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

I am so fucking behind on everything in my life. Here are my "private notes" I made for myself like a zillion weeks ago when I actually read this book. I though I'd have time to make them into an actual review, and maybe one day I will. Until then, here's some scribbley nonsense.

The quirky style gets in the way of the story with this one, unlike in A Million Little Pieces, where it meshed and pulled you in. Here it's overdone and kind of cripples the prose, makes it plodding and harder to read,...more

like 3 likes · see review

Sep 23, 2008 Maashu rated it 5 of 5 stars

I never cared whether Frey's A Million Little Pieces was real or not. The truth is, if you enjoy his writing style, you're sure to be caught up in the environment and especially the characters he creates. I read this in one day on a flight from San Diego to Detroit.

My Friend Leonard pretty much picks up where A Million Little Pieces left off. If you thought it couldn't get any worse, think again. My Friend Leonard follows Frey's post-rehab trials and tribulations, and examines the continuation o...more

like 14 likes · see review

Apr 20, 2008 Susannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

I normally would reserve the 5 star rating for a book that I think NOONE should miss...but I just have to give this book 5 stars. Some people might like it, some people might think it is just okay. I read it immediately following A Million Little Pieces, and it is a great sequel.
I love Leonard.
I love Leonard.
I love Leonard.
I cried harder at the end of this book than I have ever cried after a book or movie...maybe it's because I am a pregnant hormonal headcase right now...but I SOBBED.
Then I to...more

like 10 likes · see review

Aug 26, 2007 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Whether this book is fact or fiction does not mean crap to me, which was exactly my stance on A Million Little Pieces. It was just a good book. James reminds me a lot of someone I know and in some ways, of myself and some of my family members. His friendship with Leonard, albeit ridiculous, was very special and the stories in this book made me laugh and cry. If you read A Million Little Pieces you already knew what Leonard's demise was, but that certainly didn't make it any less heart-breaking...more

like 5 likes · see review

Oct 24, 2007 Kate Hoffman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I know everyone gave Mr. Frey a whole lot of (probably deserved) shit for these two books of his, but I really enjoyed them. I could even overlook that they were on Oprah's book club list (which I got a LOT of shit about from my generally hateful friends). Since I'd heard about the inaccuracies in his first story - "A Million Little Pieces" - before reading either, I went in to each regarding them as works of total fiction. The writing was gripping, to say the least and the character development...more

like 3 likes · see review

Jan 02, 2009 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Written in a non-traditional and stream of consciousness style, Frey’s book, My Friend Leonard, breaks the stylistic boundaries set by traditional creative nonfiction. Frey uses run-on sentences, dialogue that is blurred together with text, and no discernable system of using paragraphs. Although it takes a little bit of time to get used to Frey’s story because of his iconoclastic writing style, it is well worth the wait.
Frey writes about the friendship he had with a man named Leonard. Frey met...more

like 1 like · see review

May 12, 2012 Kaitlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a story about rebuilding life after addiction and loss. The narrator's voice is unique, and it changes over the course of the story along with his life and temperament. Nothing else I've read is quite like this. I appreciate authors who aren't afraid to play with language and write in nontraditional ways, and that's what Frey did here.

The plot moves nicely once you get through the very raw and sad early parts of the book. At times this feels piecemeal, but I like it because it gives you...more

like · see review

Apr 08, 2011 Anastasia rated it 1 of 5 stars

I read A Million Little Pieces by James Frey and I liked it. I devoured it. Despite the controversy that a lot of it was made up. It was made up to make James Frey look like a hardcore badass. But really it turns out that he's just another entitled rich white kid with too much time on his hands and too much money so he does too many drugs then ends up in rehab. Then writes a best selling "memoir" that turns out to be held together by lies and covered up by the convenient death of the majority of...more I read A Million Little Pieces by James Frey and I liked it. I devoured it. Despite the controversy that a lot of it was made up. It was made up to make James Frey look like a hardcore badass. But really it turns out that he's just another entitled rich white kid with too much time on his hands and too much money so he does too many drugs then ends up in rehab. Then writes a best selling "memoir" that turns out to be held together by lies and covered up by the convenient death of the majority of the characters. No one to collaborate. Yes in spite of all of this I enjoyed the story although it did make me think of Frey as kind of a pathetic douche.

So when I got an Amazon birthday gift card I eagerly ordered his second "memoir", My Friend Leonard. It's the continuation of his life story. Emphasis on story. It starts with him nearing the end of his three month jail sentence.*
His girlfriend that he met in rehab kills herself before he can get to her. The rest of the story is him trying to stay clean and "hold on." Leonard, the friend he made in rehab, features predominately. He unofficially adopts Frey as his son and becomes his benefactor. Leonard is part of organized crime, so he has large amounts of money that he throws around, mostly at Frey. Frey talks about all the beautiful woman who love him. He talks about impromptu trips, meals, and huge parties all funded by Leonard. Everything lavish and expensive of course. Oh the awesomeness of Frey's awesome awesomeness.

This book was insipid and made me cringe. It seemed like Frey was just trying to seem like a badass again who had rich powerful friends and hot chicks. "Hey guys! Look...look at how freaking amazing I am!! Over here! Oi!" It was the equivalent of the kind of person who gives themselves their own nick name and tries to get it to catch on.

And it makes it worse that there is no proof that Leonard ever existed. So this fantasy is all the more pathetic and douchey. I was willing to over look the smudges of lies around the edges of A Million Little Pieces because the writing was visceral and intense. But My Friend Leonard is a blatant pack of lies. (To be fair, they haven't proved that he didn't exist so maybe it's all true**) And it has made me lose any respect I had for the author.

This is an extremely negative review, I won't apologize for it but I will acknowledge it. I have never been so let down by a book or an author.

*it's been hands down proven that he never spent any time in jail, ever in his life.
**Frey also can't prove Leonard existed either...nothing at all.

(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 09, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Friend Leonard I found to be a very moving story of the aftermath of James Frey’s stay in a rehabilitation center. It is about the relationship he has with his friend, and adoptive father Leonard who he met in rehab. Throughout the story, James experiences many losses and gains; those of which he has to deal with. One of these events was the death of his girlfriend Lilly. This is such a tragic event and at this point, James breaks down, goes to the liquor store and buys some very powerful dri...more My Friend Leonard I found to be a very moving story of the aftermath of James Frey’s stay in a rehabilitation center. It is about the relationship he has with his friend, and adoptive father Leonard who he met in rehab. Throughout the story, James experiences many losses and gains; those of which he has to deal with. One of these events was the death of his girlfriend Lilly. This is such a tragic event and at this point, James breaks down, goes to the liquor store and buys some very powerful drink.
On more than one occasion, James experiences things that almost make him lose his sobriety; this I found to be quite frightening since I got so attached to James’ character in the story and it would be heartbreaking to see him throw it all away so quickly.
One thing I found about this book is when he is describing how he is feeling, he describes it so briefly, yet, it is so effective and you can almost feel his pain; “She’s dead, in a cooler in some f****** morgue, and I’ll never sleep in her arms again. The thought of it makes me sick, and it makes me want to join her. The rose will help me. It is time to start the killing. Time to f****** start.” Reading this, I really understand how he feels about Lilly and how much her death affects him.
This being said, I found that throughout the book, whenever James is with Leonard (his adoptive Father), or with any of the several girls he meets, you can feel his happiness radiating when he is with them. When he talks about Lilly, you can feel the pain she has caused him because of her selfish and emotional choice.
His friend Leonard is one character whom I’ve grown to like. His character is so strong and he cares about James so much and does anything and everything he can to protect and love him. One thing that demonstrated this is how Leonard always refers to James as “My son” and whenever James and Leonard talk on the phone, Leonard always asks him if he’s ok, and if he needs anything; James responds the same way; I’m ok and no, I don’t need anything.
(less)

like · see review

Dec 26, 2009 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, autobiography-memoir, drug-use, addiction, friendship, alcoholism, 12-steps, borrowed-from-the-library

This is the sequel to James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces.” It’s written in the same style – very immediate, as if we’re privy to his thoughts rather than his utterances. Frey continues his story – the after-rehab, after incarceration, after he drives to Chicago on the day after the death of Lilly’s grandmother and arrives to find her dead by her own hand. Although James is new to living and dealing with his emotions, he manages to make it through these difficulties without self-medicating. He...more This is the sequel to James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces.” It’s written in the same style – very immediate, as if we’re privy to his thoughts rather than his utterances. Frey continues his story – the after-rehab, after incarceration, after he drives to Chicago on the day after the death of Lilly’s grandmother and arrives to find her dead by her own hand. Although James is new to living and dealing with his emotions, he manages to make it through these difficulties without self-medicating. He neither takes up drugs or alcohol again, although he does keep a bottle of cheap wine around to remind him that at any moment he *can.* It must be difficult, because all of his friends drink, and he seems to hang out with them all the time. You’d think that he’d be eager to find some other friends and pursuits that don’t revolve around these things, but it’s as if people like that don’t exist. Maybe they don’t.

Leonard is a constant presence in this new life of Frey’s. He looks out for him, he keeps tabs on him, he makes sure that he’s taken care of. Frey wants to do a lot on his own, but he does spend some time working for Leonard. Later he goes straight and takes up writing – screenplays, books, whatever. He directs a movie. He produces others. He moves to L.A., adopts a couple of dogs, finds love, works. Still thinks about drinking, about drugs, about Lilly’s death. It’s life. It’s very real, it isn’t perfect, and a lot of things about it suck. But the difference this time around is that James Frey wants to be there for it – for all of it.

If you enjoyed “A Million Little Pieces,” chances are you’ll like this as well. At the very least, you’ll be curious to find out what happened to James. This wasn’t as painful or heart-wrenching as the first – not quite as raw – but it is very satisfying. Ignore the preponderance of “My Son”s from Leonard that will start to annoy you every time he shows up at Frey’s door and you’ll quite enjoy this sequel.(less)

like · see review

Oct 01, 2009 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is Frey’s follow up to a million little pieces. I thought it less good and less engaging. However, Frey’s writing style does make it easy to just keep reading.

In this book he has been released from rehab and it starts with his jail term. Apparently the time in jail and the people he met are largely fictitious but I get that he was trying to communicate a state of being as much as a situation.

The book then goes on to document his life as he gets his shit together in the real world without t...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 21, 2009 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I rate this audiobook 3 stars but close to 4.
A sequel that is a must-read, and I recommend this book, but not nearly as much as Little Pieces.

*SPOILERs in this review.*

The reader of this audiobook was really outstanding. One of the best I've heard and I've heard a lot.

The story picks up at the end of the a million little pieces. It outlines extensively how blessed our hero, James, really is. He gets tons of help from friends, family and his not so mysterious benefactor mafia friend Leonard. Wh...more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Charlotte Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the follow on novel from "A Million Little Pieces" that basically tells the reader about what happened after he got out of the rehab center and has done his time in prison. I found the first book to be amazing and therefore expected nothing less of the second book, and boy was I not let down. He really goes into depth and detail with the book, in that he really does seem to put his whole self and heart into the words. Its almost as if he wants the reader to learn from his experiences, to...more This is the follow on novel from "A Million Little Pieces" that basically tells the reader about what happened after he got out of the rehab center and has done his time in prison. I found the first book to be amazing and therefore expected nothing less of the second book, and boy was I not let down. He really goes into depth and detail with the book, in that he really does seem to put his whole self and heart into the words. Its almost as if he wants the reader to learn from his experiences, to see that strength can come from the downfalls and that when we fall over there is always a solution to the problem to help us back up that isnt negative or necessarily bad for us. At the beginning though he does make a note that some of the book is fiction adn I think that takes a lot of bravery and courage to write, because it does show that he still wanted to protect his life and privacy, and of course he has every right to do that.

There is a lot of power and emotion in the words though, that touches you right from the beginning. And in several places the book made me cry and made me laugh, made me smile and made me hate. He really goes into depth and detail with his words in that he makes it come alive. He pulls the reader into the scene, makes them vision the book and feel the book and for me that represents a true author, one who knows how to connect with his readers and who is passionate and dedicated to there work. For me the book represented strength and downfalls though. It showed that life is likely to knock us about with the unexpected and that we have to seek support from the mechanisms that are around us and I suppose in a way that makes the reader really think about the life that they have and what they have to grab on. We do take life for granted and we do expect things to just be given to us, but we have to work for things, we have to show that we are worthy of the life that we are given and this is something that james does.

Although at the beginning it seems that he has it easy because Leonard is there to help him out, he does show that actually he doesnt want to cause problems, that he just wants to be a normal person living a normal life and doding things for himself. And this is something that I commend him for. However it is the story of leonard that is touching and real, because he is a man of soul and heart. a troubled man none the less, but a person who just wants to live life to the fullest and make sure that all those that he loves are ok, safe and well off and away from danger. He reminds me of the sort of person that would make a great father or great grand father. He shows dedication to james who he adopts as his son and he shows just how much he is willing to help him out.

It is sad though that in the book two characters are lost, but it is the death of leonard that really grasps you because it is done in such a strong and powerful way. he is not doing it to be selfish, but because he has done everything that he needs to do and he knows that it is time. I just feel that james offers the reader a lot of lessons with his words here and it touches me in ways that I can not intentionally express to you. perhaps it is one of those books that you have to read in order to understand it fully, perhaps it is one of those books that will mean something different to every reader. but it is a worthwhile read!(less)

like · see review

Feb 19, 2011 Dave Venter rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the sequel to James Frey's first book, "A million little pieces" and it continues the story of James once he has left rehab and attempts to re-enter society, this time for the better. I admire the courage he shows in doing so and envy the support he gathers around him regardless of what has happened in the past. Ultimately the book begins in tragedy and ends with another tragedy but i wouldnt call it a tragedy in itself, as much as life is anyway in many respects. All along the way James...more

like · see review

Mar 21, 2013 Merredith rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-or-2-stars, hallmark-type-books

Remember a million little pieces? the book where they found out that a lot of the things in the story were fictionalized? well, i read it and i barely remember it, but now i just read the sequel. and this book i note is firmly labeled as "literature" so that no one can yell at the things that aren't true. i hated the writing style in this book. every little thing is spelled out. it's something like this:
I speak: hi leonard. Leonard speaks: MY SON!! we drink cola. then we drink more cola. then we...more

like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 Lindsay rated it 2 of 5 stars

Honestly, this being a sequel to 'A Million Little Pieces', I expected so much more our of Frey. James' girlfriend, the love of his life, kills herself. His best friend, his father-like figure, kills himself... I understand this isn't a complete non-fiction story, but it's too unrealistic, and hurtful to read. When finishing this book, i felt drained, and depressed. Reading about his depression, and his troubles, hardships, and the war in his state of mind is depressing. Frey is a great writer,...more

like · see review

Jul 15, 2010 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When things fall apart, we need someone to help us back on our feet, to help us pull things back together and begin to move forward. For James Frey, author and title character of this semi-fictitious memoir, Leonard was that someone. Recovering from a ten-year drug and alcohol addiction and a crushing emotional loss, James wanders aimlessly through what is left of his late adolescence and early adulthood. He has little direction and no real goals. In this quagmire of selflessness, Leonard become...more

like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Rick rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the follow up to " A million little pieces". Frey is out of rehab and adjusting to "normality" with help from one of his fellow rehab patients, Leonard. This is far more obviously fictionalised than his previous book as the plot and time lines are just too neat and tidy to be true; and the character of Leonard is, frankly, unbelievable.

The first book caused a storm with Frey admitting that he had made up large parts of the story however this is a great read if approached as fiction (or f...more

like · see review

Jun 27, 2009 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’m sure everyone knows the scandal behind A Million Little Pieces. I still think the book was great even though some of it was made up and embellished. I’m sure the story of My Friend Leonard is no different. Even though the stories may be embellished, they still have instances that can be learned from.

My Friend Leonard was an easy read. It picks up right where A Million Little Pieces left off. It tells the story of Frey making it after rehab and a stint in jail. He makes this journey and is su...more

like · see review

Nov 21, 2008 Pilouetta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Pilouetta by: tema

a day after i finished, "a million little pieces." i started and finished this - sort of sequel. if the first of frey's "truth is always the best lie cause no one believes it anyway" books is about clawing your way out of a hole, then this one is about being out it, but not being unable to stare deeply down, not know that the hole follows, and changes size with need. if the first book is about being alone and garnering responsibility for being alive, this second book is about learning to know wh...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2011 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very skeptical when reading this one - but my book club picked it and I thought I'd give it a whirl. I was not a fan of 'A Million Little Pieces' but this book was definitely an improvement. I was expecting the same type of punctuation and non use of capitalization in this book, but that part was improved on. I couldn't help but wonder how much of the book was fact vs. fiction because of the first book. I actually felt connected to the charachters and couldn't put the book down because I n...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 10, 2012 Hala rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this up expecting it to have the same effect Book 1 (A Million Little Pieces) had on me. Unfortunately, as most "follow-up" books, I was disappointed. What attracted me most about book 1 was the unique way in which t was written, where an atypical dialogue style was created. While this is still seen in Book 2, it is much weaker and hence fails to evoke the same empathy it succeeded in extracting through Book 1.
However, I did appreciate its emphasis on friendship, but also one of its mo...more

like · see review

Aug 07, 2011 Ronald Wise rated it 3 of 5 stars

A continuation of Frey's autobiography A Million Little Pieces (which I've not read yet) describing Frey's release from prison and his battle with alcoholism and drug addiction. This episode prominently features his rehab friend Leonard and is a touching story of a helping hand from a mysterious benefactor. I was about a third of the way through this book before I realized that Frey was the autobiographer who had been in the news lately — investigative reporters accused him of marketing fiction...more

like · see review

Jul 13, 2012 Gayle Cole rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't read this book, I listened to the audio CD. I imagine I liked it more that way than I would have reading it, as I think the whole repetitive thing, and the lack of punctuation I've heard of, would frustrate me, but the audio was pretty captivating. I had driveway moments.

Don't care if it's real or not, I felt like this story jumped the shark a bit on the final disk. I mean, I knew by disk 2 what the surprise ending would be, so when it was not only revealed, but the characters sort of...more

like · see review

Feb 25, 2012 Zahed rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies

This one continues from where James left you in A Million Little Pieces. I may not want to comment on the validation of characters and incidents that are portrayed here, cause quite frankly i do not care and I just love the way James writes.

This is a testimony to the best friend of James from his rehab. It goes to show how commitment in relationships can be as or far greater when they are not bound by blood. I loved every bit of the book, cause i believed right through as this being the percept...more

like 1 like · see review

May 22, 2009 Libby rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middling

I read this a year after I finished A Million Little Pieces so I knew all about the controversy and Frey's writing style...but I was still disappointed. I guess I liked a Million Little Pieces because of Frey's use of the Tao, I thought he was getting somewhere with that. I thought I could see some kind of redemption perhaps. The Tao was curiously absent from My Friend Leonard, perhaps it helped him kick the addiction but he didn't seem to apply it to the greater whole of his life. Once the stin...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Reading Leonard	15	151	Jan 18, 2013 03:36pm

combine
Other Editions (29)

More editions...

Genres

Contemporary

12 users

Biography Memoir

10 users

Drama

9 users

Novels

8 users

Adult

8 users

Adult Fiction

8 users

Health > Mental Health

6 users

Book Club

5 users

Literature > American

4 users

Mental Health > Mental Illness

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About James Frey

James Frey is the author of a million little pieces and my friend leonard. After battling with alcohol addiction and spending time in rehab, he wrote A Million Little Pieces which was published in 2003 in America and the following year in the UK to critical acclaim. He wrote the sequel, My Friend Leonard about life after rehab, which was published in 2005 in the US and the year after in the UK.

Jam...more

More about James Frey...

Books by James Frey

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About My Friend Leonard

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from My Friend Leonard

“Pain is the feeling. Suffering is the effect the pain inflicts. If one can endure pain, one can live without suffering. If one can withstand pain, one can withstand anything. If one can learn to control pain, one can learn to control oneself. ” — 245 people liked it

“Leonard asks me if there's anything I need to know before he dies, I think about it for a minute, turn to him, say what's the meaning of life, Leonard? He laughs, says that's an easy one, my son, it's whatever you want it to be.” — 142 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: My Friend Leonard
avg rating	preview: My Friend Leonard Goodreads rating: 3.78 (21540 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6520.My_Friend_Leonard?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309286907l/6520.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6520.My_Friend_Leonard?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]My Friend Leonard by James Frey[/url]

My Friend Leonard

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website