My Friend Leonard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| My Friend Leonard | |
 |
|
| Author | James Frey |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Memoir/Fiction |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Publication date | June 16, 2005 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | 1573223158 |
| Followed by | Bright Shiny Morning |
My Friend Leonard is a memoir written by James Frey. Continuing where A Million Little Pieces left off, the book centers on the father-son relationship Frey and his friend from Hazelden, Leonard, shared. My Friend Leonard was published in June of 2005 by Riverhead, and became a bestseller. Amazon.com editors selected My Friend Leonard as their #5 favorite book of 2005. The book was marketed as a memoir, but after its release, certain elements of the story were cast into doubt. The author later admitted that he had never actually been incarcerated as claimed in the book.
[edit] Summary
The novel begins with Frey's release from prison. He anxiously drives to Chicago in order to see his girlfriend, Lilly, whose grandmother has just passed away. James and Lilly met in rehab (as mentioned in A Million Little Pieces) and Lilly was in a halfway house while James was in jail. Upon arriving in Chicago, James is informed by the director of the halfway house, that Lilly committed suicide because she could not deal with the pain of losing her grandmother.
Desperate, James goes to a liquor store and buys the cheapest bottle of wine with the intention of drinking it. He spends the night in his car and does not drink the alcohol. James asks Leonard for thirty thousand dollars which he uses to bury Lilly and her grandmother. Leonard had told James while he was in the treatment center that he would look out for James as though he were his father. He gives the money to James on two conditions: 1) James must agree to tell Leonard later what he did with the money and 2) if James does decide to drink the bottle of wine (which he still keeps in his apartment) he must agree to call Leonard beforehand.
James must handle great adversity throughout the entire novel. He has to deal with people who aren't always preferable. He battles with depression, but slowly he grows from his experiences.
The rest of the novel deals with James attempting to create a normal life for himself.
