james frey - a million little pieces

I've selected few fragments from the book...enjoy. I certainly did from page 1 to page 511...

"As I start back up the stairs, I see the Goal Board hanging on a wall in the Upper Level. I walk over to it and I stand in front of it and I stare at it. It is a large piece of laminated posterboard divided into boxes using vertical and horizontal lines. In each of the boxes is a name, written in erasable marker, and next to the name is a goal. Some of the goals are simple, things such as Find a Job and Keep It, Stay Sober for Sixty Days, Be a Functioning Part of Society. Some of the goals are sad , things like Get My Wife to Talk to Me, Regain the Respect of My Children, Stay out of Jail for Six Months. Most of the goals are things like Improve My Relationship with My Friend and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, Work the Program Right and Live the Steps in Every Moment, Get Myself in Shape: Be Buff in Spirit, Be Buff in Body. The goal next to Matty's name reads Stop Fucking Swearing, which makes me laugh. The goal next to Leonard's name reads Hold On, which makes me smile. The goal next to Miles's name reads Live, which makes the most sense. The space next to my name remains empty. I could write Survive, but I would rather hold that word in my heart than write it on some fucking board. When I was laughing earlier, laughing about being a Yoga Instructor and being addicted to champuu, the laughing felt good. When I have laughed at all here, which has been too infrequent an occasion, it has always felt good.I could write Laugh on the board, but I would rather write something that makes me laugh every time I see it, so I pick up a marker and next to my name I write I'm Going to LA to Make All of My Dreams Come True. I'm Going to Be a Laker Girl."


"Addiction is a decision. Do I or don't I.Am I going to take or am I not going to take. Am I going to be a pathetic dumbshit Addict and continue to waste my life or I am going to say no and try to stay sober and be a decent Person. It is a decision. Each and every time. A decision. Addict or human. Genetics do not make that call. They are just an excuse."