Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

When he entered a residential treatment centre at the age of twenty-three, James Frey had destroyed his body and his mind almost beyond repair. He faced a stark choice: accept that he wasn't going to see twenty-four or step into the fallout of his smoking wreck of a life and take drastic action. Surrounded by patients as troubled as he, Frey had to fight to find his own way to confront the consequences of the life he had lived so far, and to determine what future, if any, he has. A Million Little Pieces is an uncommon account of a life destroyed and a life reconstructed.

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

A worthwhile read, 04 Oct 2007
It is astonishing that someone so addled by substance and excess can fashion such an elegant and worthwhile read.Honest from start to finish,the pages are peppered with numerous quips and whips,from
bizarre trips through France by freight train to dropping acid and visiting his mother,this book is nothing short of miraculous.As someone in the grips of such experiences to this very day,this book really resonated.And not in a heavy handed,un-hip kind of way,but in a very bashful,approachable manner.A joy.

Brilliant writing, 24 Jul 2007
This book is subtitled 'Notes from the Slippery Slope.' But it is so much more than 'notes'. It is superbly evocative of the highs and the lows, the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and the mental instability that either results from, co-incidentally exists with, or led to, the excesses of drug-taking described. The story will be easily recognised by anyone who has been in, or watched someone else in, a similar boat on a similarly turbulent sea.
But it is the quality of the writing that makes this book stand well clear of other 'My Drug Nightmare' stories. Read it, laugh, weep and keep clean.

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

A worthwhile read, 04 Oct 2007
It is astonishing that someone so addled by substance and excess can fashion such an elegant and worthwhile read.Honest from start to finish,the pages are peppered with numerous quips and whips,from
bizarre trips through France by freight train to dropping acid and visiting his mother,this book is nothing short of miraculous.As someone in the grips of such experiences to this very day,this book really resonated.And not in a heavy handed,un-hip kind of way,but in a very bashful,approachable manner.A joy.

Brilliant writing, 24 Jul 2007
This book is subtitled 'Notes from the Slippery Slope.' But it is so much more than 'notes'. It is superbly evocative of the highs and the lows, the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and the mental instability that either results from, co-incidentally exists with, or led to, the excesses of drug-taking described. The story will be easily recognised by anyone who has been in, or watched someone else in, a similar boat on a similarly turbulent sea.
But it is the quality of the writing that makes this book stand well clear of other 'My Drug Nightmare' stories. Read it, laugh, weep and keep clean.

Amazing follow up, 14 Aug 2008
Even better than A Million Little Pieces. I read them back to back, and am in awe of Mr Frey. He is without doubt a major talent, with an ability to engage the reader completely. I look forward to reading his future work.

GET IT AND YOU'LL LOVE IT!!, 18 Mar 2008
This is an emotional,follow on book from 'A Million Little Pieces' I personally didnt thnk anything could top that book, but James Frey surely compelled me in both books. His journey is a emotional rollercoaster through his time in rehab, his experience's in life and the people he meets along the way. 'My Friend Leonard' focuses on a friendship with Man James Frey meets in rehab and how he impacts his life.
THIS IS A MUST READ!! as is 'A Million Little Pieces'.Anyone and everyone who loves honesty and integrity will love this book!!!

Who cares if some of it's embelished, 19 Feb 2008
I have to say I love the style in which James Frey writes his novels it is so refreshing and keeps you hooked from start to finish. The ending of this book is not expected but all the same brilliant. After reading a Million Little Pieces I was wary of reading this incase it did not live up to the first novel but I was not dissapointed at all and would reccomend it to anyone. Two thumbs up!!

a nice surprise, 01 Aug 2007
I've not read his other book..but I really enjoyed this one... I found his writing very different, which is good. It made me cry (almost twice)... I loved the ending... and missed the book once I had finished it. I would have been happy to carry on reading for a few more tube rides. A lovely book.

A Masterpiece!, 30 Jun 2007
I know there is some controversy over James Frey's two books and how much of these so-called first hand accounts of his life are what actually happened.

Frankly I am not bothered. Both books are masterful and very original/inspirational/sad/joyful whether they are fictional, non-fictional or some mixture of the two. Whatever label is attached to the book doesn't alter its content.

My Friend Leonard is a sequel which for once is just as good if not even better than the original. I would strongly recommend reading the books in order but each is self-contained and may be read without having looked at the other.

Ironically as the two books are about addiction they themselves are very addictive. Do you read them as fast as you can or do you try and savour them and make them last a few days was my dilemma. With both of them I tried the latter and ended up doing the former.

What an extraordinary fellow Howard Marks is. His autobiography takes him from his South Wales childhood and Oxford University education through his life dealing marijuana and the enormous mythology that accrued around what the tabloids called "the English Toff Drugs King of the World". This book is called Mr Nice after one of the many aliases Marks's life as a merchant of pot obliged him to assume, but it describes him perfectly too: the epitome of British niceness, the nicest international criminal you could hope to meet. It's not hard to see why this has become a cult book--Marks is a brilliant version of a mate down the pub, telling you the gobsmacking stories of his many adventured life. The writing is direct and the narrative will detain you as comprehensively as Marks himself was detained for seven years at Terre Haut Penitentiary, Indiana. He was released the same day as Mike Tyson. "I had," he observes mildly, "been continuously in prison for the last six-and-a-half years for transporting beneficial herbs from one place to another, while he had done three years for rape." Truly there is no justice; but there are eye-popping adventures, hilarious touches and a thorough-going wisdom in this excellent book. --Adam Roberts

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

A worthwhile read, 04 Oct 2007
It is astonishing that someone so addled by substance and excess can fashion such an elegant and worthwhile read.Honest from start to finish,the pages are peppered with numerous quips and whips,from
bizarre trips through France by freight train to dropping acid and visiting his mother,this book is nothing short of miraculous.As someone in the grips of such experiences to this very day,this book really resonated.And not in a heavy handed,un-hip kind of way,but in a very bashful,approachable manner.A joy.

Brilliant writing, 24 Jul 2007
This book is subtitled 'Notes from the Slippery Slope.' But it is so much more than 'notes'. It is superbly evocative of the highs and the lows, the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and the mental instability that either results from, co-incidentally exists with, or led to, the excesses of drug-taking described. The story will be easily recognised by anyone who has been in, or watched someone else in, a similar boat on a similarly turbulent sea.
But it is the quality of the writing that makes this book stand well clear of other 'My Drug Nightmare' stories. Read it, laugh, weep and keep clean.

Amazing follow up, 14 Aug 2008
Even better than A Million Little Pieces. I read them back to back, and am in awe of Mr Frey. He is without doubt a major talent, with an ability to engage the reader completely. I look forward to reading his future work.

GET IT AND YOU'LL LOVE IT!!, 18 Mar 2008
This is an emotional,follow on book from 'A Million Little Pieces' I personally didnt thnk anything could top that book, but James Frey surely compelled me in both books. His journey is a emotional rollercoaster through his time in rehab, his experience's in life and the people he meets along the way. 'My Friend Leonard' focuses on a friendship with Man James Frey meets in rehab and how he impacts his life.
THIS IS A MUST READ!! as is 'A Million Little Pieces'.Anyone and everyone who loves honesty and integrity will love this book!!!

Who cares if some of it's embelished, 19 Feb 2008
I have to say I love the style in which James Frey writes his novels it is so refreshing and keeps you hooked from start to finish. The ending of this book is not expected but all the same brilliant. After reading a Million Little Pieces I was wary of reading this incase it did not live up to the first novel but I was not dissapointed at all and would reccomend it to anyone. Two thumbs up!!

a nice surprise, 01 Aug 2007
I've not read his other book..but I really enjoyed this one... I found his writing very different, which is good. It made me cry (almost twice)... I loved the ending... and missed the book once I had finished it. I would have been happy to carry on reading for a few more tube rides. A lovely book.

A Masterpiece!, 30 Jun 2007
I know there is some controversy over James Frey's two books and how much of these so-called first hand accounts of his life are what actually happened.

Frankly I am not bothered. Both books are masterful and very original/inspirational/sad/joyful whether they are fictional, non-fictional or some mixture of the two. Whatever label is attached to the book doesn't alter its content.

My Friend Leonard is a sequel which for once is just as good if not even better than the original. I would strongly recommend reading the books in order but each is self-contained and may be read without having looked at the other.

Ironically as the two books are about addiction they themselves are very addictive. Do you read them as fast as you can or do you try and savour them and make them last a few days was my dilemma. With both of them I tried the latter and ended up doing the former.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Highly Entertaining, 02 Jan 2008
This highly entertaining and often funny autobiography is exciting and full of interesting characters,my favorite being Jim McCann the mad IRA man.
The book is also very revealing about how major drug smuggling operations are carried out and how the CIA and other such organisations operate.
Despite being a major drug smuggler Howard is probably the most honest and trustworthy character in the book and he is very likeable.
My only criticism is that the book is so fast paced and involved so many people and deals that I often got confused as to who was who.

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

A worthwhile read, 04 Oct 2007
It is astonishing that someone so addled by substance and excess can fashion such an elegant and worthwhile read.Honest from start to finish,the pages are peppered with numerous quips and whips,from
bizarre trips through France by freight train to dropping acid and visiting his mother,this book is nothing short of miraculous.As someone in the grips of such experiences to this very day,this book really resonated.And not in a heavy handed,un-hip kind of way,but in a very bashful,approachable manner.A joy.

Brilliant writing, 24 Jul 2007
This book is subtitled 'Notes from the Slippery Slope.' But it is so much more than 'notes'. It is superbly evocative of the highs and the lows, the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and the mental instability that either results from, co-incidentally exists with, or led to, the excesses of drug-taking described. The story will be easily recognised by anyone who has been in, or watched someone else in, a similar boat on a similarly turbulent sea.
But it is the quality of the writing that makes this book stand well clear of other 'My Drug Nightmare' stories. Read it, laugh, weep and keep clean.

Amazing follow up, 14 Aug 2008
Even better than A Million Little Pieces. I read them back to back, and am in awe of Mr Frey. He is without doubt a major talent, with an ability to engage the reader completely. I look forward to reading his future work.

GET IT AND YOU'LL LOVE IT!!, 18 Mar 2008
This is an emotional,follow on book from 'A Million Little Pieces' I personally didnt thnk anything could top that book, but James Frey surely compelled me in both books. His journey is a emotional rollercoaster through his time in rehab, his experience's in life and the people he meets along the way. 'My Friend Leonard' focuses on a friendship with Man James Frey meets in rehab and how he impacts his life.
THIS IS A MUST READ!! as is 'A Million Little Pieces'.Anyone and everyone who loves honesty and integrity will love this book!!!

Who cares if some of it's embelished, 19 Feb 2008
I have to say I love the style in which James Frey writes his novels it is so refreshing and keeps you hooked from start to finish. The ending of this book is not expected but all the same brilliant. After reading a Million Little Pieces I was wary of reading this incase it did not live up to the first novel but I was not dissapointed at all and would reccomend it to anyone. Two thumbs up!!

a nice surprise, 01 Aug 2007
I've not read his other book..but I really enjoyed this one... I found his writing very different, which is good. It made me cry (almost twice)... I loved the ending... and missed the book once I had finished it. I would have been happy to carry on reading for a few more tube rides. A lovely book.

A Masterpiece!, 30 Jun 2007
I know there is some controversy over James Frey's two books and how much of these so-called first hand accounts of his life are what actually happened.

Frankly I am not bothered. Both books are masterful and very original/inspirational/sad/joyful whether they are fictional, non-fictional or some mixture of the two. Whatever label is attached to the book doesn't alter its content.

My Friend Leonard is a sequel which for once is just as good if not even better than the original. I would strongly recommend reading the books in order but each is self-contained and may be read without having looked at the other.

Ironically as the two books are about addiction they themselves are very addictive. Do you read them as fast as you can or do you try and savour them and make them last a few days was my dilemma. With both of them I tried the latter and ended up doing the former.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Highly Entertaining, 02 Jan 2008
This highly entertaining and often funny autobiography is exciting and full of interesting characters,my favorite being Jim McCann the mad IRA man.
The book is also very revealing about how major drug smuggling operations are carried out and how the CIA and other such organisations operate.
Despite being a major drug smuggler Howard is probably the most honest and trustworthy character in the book and he is very likeable.
My only criticism is that the book is so fast paced and involved so many people and deals that I often got confused as to who was who.

Reveals more about Kimmage than about cycling?, 19 Nov 2008
Plenty of other reviewers have picked up on the obvious bitterness that Kimmage displays towards his chosen sport, as well as his obvious lack of real drive to succeed meaningfully in it; so I'm not going to dwell on that. The anecdote about Sean Kelly and the sauna is sufficient: I won't ruin it for you here. Unlike Kimmage, Kelly was notorious for his brutal training regime. In his own words, from the mid-1980s, Kelly said that if he expected to be able to race for seven hours, then his training 'spins' had to last for eight hours or more. On the evidence he presents in this book, it's hard to imagine Kimmage spending eight hours training on his bike in a week, making it easier to understand why he was only ever an also-ran at best.

What the book does remind one of is how ghastly and brutal a sport professional cycling is; and this is written as one who has raced and has followed the sport enthusiastically for over two decades. No other mainstream sport comes close to the relentless physical exertion, pain and injuries that are a guaranteed by-product of competing on the bike. Even the most casual student of the sport will be familiar with the endless list of doping offenders, virtually from the sport's inception, and including many of the greatest champions, from Coppi to Hinault and onwards. And all those top riders who loathed cycling - Lucien van Impe possibly the most famous. Son of a Belgian miner, it was the bike or the pits. He hated both, but at least the bike meant being in the open air.

Apart from the winning and the money, does anyone enjoy the actual act of competitive cycling itself, aside from the dubious and fleeting pleasure of inflicting pain on your opponents when it's going well? It's a sport dominated by the sons of working people, for whom pain and a grim working environment appear a necessary and accepted part of life. They are tough, brutal people, marked out by extreme tenacity and utter physical ruthlessness. And if everyone else is doping, why not join them? Who gives a stuff, in the end? Especially if you know the chances of getting caught are tiny, even today. Just look at the recent Olympics and the endless string of new world records, with sprinters cruising in at sub-9.8 times. Dope anyone?

Kimmage was an idealist in a world of realpolitik. Naive and, you get the impression, hiding his lack of real appetite for his sport behind his principles. And, in the end, he just wasn't tough enough. He didn't want it enough to play in the big time. But at least he did find out what he is good at. The writing is great and it's a compelling, very enjoyable read, take from it what you will. To anyone who knows the sport at all, learning that so many riders dope is not exactly up there with Saul on the road to Damascus. But there's a lot of good stuff in here and some great anecdotes. Well worth a read.

The Date, The Day...It's All Written Down, 04 Sep 2008
Paul Kimmage is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Sunday Times newspaper in the United Kingdom. Born in Dublin, he is a former professional cyclist who competed in the 1980s - alongside compatriots Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Martin Earley. In "Rough Ride", Kimmage looks back on his life on the bike - he touches on his amateur years, though he focuses more on his time as a professional. While the move into professional cycling was a dream come true for Kimmage, the reality of professional cycling wasn't quite the dream he had hoped for : never mind the physical and psychological difficulties associated with the sport, cycling had a widespread drugs problem.

The 1980s were great times for Irish cycling - Sean Kelly was successful from one end of the decade to the other, while Stephen Roche won the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the World Championships in 1987. Kimmage, however, was a domestique and never won a race. He entered the professional ranks with RMO in 1986, before moving to Fagor-MBK in 1989 - where he rode alongside Stephen Roche until the Tour de France. He abandoned that race and - despite having intended to quit at the end of that season - he never rode professionally again.

Kimmage was one of four new pros taken on by RMO in 1986 - however, as one of the few non-French riders, it was initially difficult for him to integrate into the team. Nevertheless, Andre 'Dede' Chappuis quickly became a friend - as, in time, did Jean Claude Colotti and Thierry Claveyrolat. As an amateur, Kimmage had heard rumours about the drug-taking in the professional ranks. However, he was determined to stay clean - even, initially, refusing to take the vitamin shots. (The shots were injected and, in Kimmage's mind, syringes meant doping. Nine stages of the 1986 Tour de France changed his mind : he wouldn't have been capable of starting stage 10 without a shot of Vitamin B12). So far as I know, vitamin shots don't count as doping - I may be wrong - but they certainly would certainly appear innocent enough to the man in the street. Similarly, caffeine tablets also sound reasonably innocent - however, they would return a positive test. Nevertheless, they were quite commonly used - taken early enough in the stage, the caffeine would've been out of the system by the time the cyclist reached doping control.

However, things in cycling went far beyond vitamins and caffeine tablets. Kimmage remembers arriving at a race in his early days carrying a briefcase, something that caused a bit of a slagging from the other riders. It was only later that he discovered many other cyclists carried pills and syringes in theirs - while Kimmage himself was only carrying his passport and a few letters. Since not every race tested for drugs, cyclists knew which races they could 'charge up' for safely. While it was never openly encouraged by the management, they were occasionally reminded of their duty as professionals - especially when there were world ranking points at stake. It wasn't uncommon for syringes full of amphetamines to be used, not only in these races but also in Criteriums. EPO, of course, only arrived in the 1990s - but Kimmage also touches on it in the second edition.

"Rough Ride" was first published in 1990 and, while he wasn't expecting it to be universally welcomed, he wasn't expecting the reception the book received. His friendships with Sean Kelly and Martin Earley survived - both are thanked for their support following the book's first publishing - though Thierry Claveyrolat and Jean-Claude Colotti weren't quite so understanding. Worse, things worked out terribly with Stephen Roche. It's clear from reading the book that Kimmage idolised Roche and that riding alongside him at Fagor was a dream come true. Roche, however, seemed to view the book as a personal attack, and was very quick to talk about the possibility of legal action. I'm not sure if the court case ever arrived...the cleanup cycling certainly hasn't. A sad book, but a very highly recommended one.

Phenomenal book, full of the contradictions of life on a bike., 03 Aug 2008
Loved it. The latter edition has some articles and interviews which reflect on the ethics of the peloton not having changed from 89. Many people complain about Kimmage's partisan ire and lack of impartiality, but in the initial book it is nothing of the sort. The book is essentially a diary of his personal sporting troubles, and the acceptance that the organisations of cycling force nearly all young riders to reflect that to compete for any length of time doping is a necessity. He talks about his teammates drug use, but in the main it is a general look at the pressures and reality of doping during the tour/season.

It's full of contradictions that nearly all of us have apart from the Merx's, Hinault's and Armstrong's. Kimmage doesn't avoid the accounts of multiple failures and retirements from races. It's clear that he doesn't have the single-mindedness mentality and dedication for winning but also that he had the talent to compete in stages. Without performance enhancers he would never compete on his favoured routes.

The bitterness froths on the subsequent cycling & media aggression towards him. Was he right? Yes. He wasn't attacking his fellow cyclists, bombastic idiots like McQuaid saw fit to undermine him at every turn. It's a shame that McQuaid didn't put some effort into preventing the systemic drug abuse, that led to so many lives being destroyed by EPO in the 90's.

To all the people criticising Kimmage for his lack of proffessionalism, take a moment to think if you ever could get anywhere near finishing the tour. Then think if your true love of cycling would sustain through having to waste yourself for the team, whilst knowing you were racing
against doped up rivals. Yes he becomes very bitter, mainly after the abuse he receives from the cycling administration that should be ensuring a clean peloton.

Interesting insight, 02 Jul 2008
I've read this book twice now.

I agree with some reviewers that there seems to be hypocrisy in Kimmage's accounts - he claims some of his friends and himself are victims of the pressure to dope just to survive however put Landis and Rasmussen up there in the same situation and they are villans.

However what must be remembered is that the villification of Landis et all by Kimmage happened a full 14 years AFTER the first part of the book.
By this time Kimmage has seen countless sabre rattling false dawns of "we'll clean this up" and each time it comes to nothing.

It needs to be remembered that Kimmage's peers that doped in the 80's are running the sport now.

I've read some of his comments in his newspaper articles and it seems has been left betrayed that the sport he loved could harbour so many
years of cheats. Even the great Jacques Anquetil said "Do you think we did all that with just water in our bottles?"

Even the new holier than thou brigade (David Millar) don't come out of this clean on his return to the Peleton he takes advise from the very doctor who 2 of his clients have been implicated in the Peurto scandal. So you can understand Kimmage's "will they ever learn" attitude.

Ironic as i write this that Spain have just won Euro 2008 and yet in the Puerto scandal of 100+ samples seized 24 are alledged to come from La Liga footballers.... Football has no EPO or blood doping controls just amphetamines and class A drugs......

A good enthralling read.

A Sad Tale that Had to Be Written, 13 Feb 2008
What's it like to be a wonderfully talented amateur bicycle racer who gets thrown into the meat-grinder of professional cycling? Kimmage answers the question in honest yet depressing detail.

An example: This book explains that the fatigued riders who did not place in the final stage of the Tour wouldn't be tested for dope, so they were free to take amphetamines. Reading "Rough Ride" is a lot like driving by a car crash. You really want to avert your eyes but can't. Kimmage's story of life as a cycling domestique is fascinating.

Kimmage makes it very clear that he is only telling his own personal story and not accusing any other rider in particular. But the practices he exposes clearly indict the entire profession. His revelations of the culture of doping within the peloton brought him withering criticism. He wasn't the first to get in trouble for revealing cycling's nasty underside. Bernard Thévenet almost died of liver failure from overuse of corticoids. When he confessed that doping was the cause of his health problems and that doping was a common practice within the peloton, the 2-time Tour winner suffered terrible opprobrium from the press, his sponsor and his fellow racers.

I believe Kimmage's book is the first (at least in English) to detail at length what life as a professional truly entailed. Since then former professional Erwann Menthéour has also written a memoir about doping in cycling which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been translated. Both he and Kimmage explained that the term for revealing cyclists' doping to the public is called "spitting in the soup". Menthéour's (who was caught using EPO) reply was "People are saying I am spitting in the soup, but it is necessary when it is poison." In the last year the wall of silence regarding doping has come tumbling down and several famous racers have confessed their misdeeds.

Yet Kimmage's book is the seminal tome and writing it was an act of courage.

The book is more than about doping. It details Kimmage's own failure to properly train and prepare for some seasons. He also describes the gut-busting exhaustion that the lesser riders suffer as they work at their limits for their more talented team leaders.

"Rough Ride" is a well-written book about racing in the 1980s but its lessons apply to the present. It is important reading for any cycling fan with an interest in what it takes to produce the spectacle we so enjoy watching.

- Bill McGann, author of The Story of the Tour de France

Fantastic Book, 16 Nov 2008
What a fantastic book - brutally honest with the impression that nothing is held back I admire Clarissa for her strength in eventually facing her problems. She has a lust for life and a great sense of fun as well that makes you wonder what she could of achieved if alcohol hadnt entered her life for so long. An inspiring and interesting read I recommend this book whole heartly!

A vivid and entertaining memoir, 15 Nov 2008
I decided to read this because I enjoyed The Two Fat Ladies so much and my parents once attended medical lectures given by CDW's surgeon father who was well-known as a difficult character. These memoirs are vivid and moving. The chapters which describe her early years, her eccentric family and relationship with her father are the best ones. I found her descriptions of what it is like to be an alcoholic enlightening and certainly gave me an insight into alcohol addiction. The anecdoctal style is both a strength and a weakness of the book. You can almost feel CDW with her larger-than-life personality talking to you herself over a cup of tea; on the other hand the frequent use of colloquialisms and unexplained slang words gets annoying while later chapters suffer from long-windedness. A more thorough editing would have been helpful.

This was utter rubbish, 28 Oct 2008
I quite liked Clarissa Dickson Wright before I read this but I have no time for her now. Her comment that she found it unreasonable that friends wouldn't accept her generosity and as a result she had to stay and eat in places which were much below her usual standards really wound me up. Welcome to the real world. Not all of us have access to an inheritance we can drink away. Not all of us have friends who will put us up for weeks/months at a time. Most of us have to work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, food to eat etc. On top of everything else it was poorly written and dull.

A must read for a thought provoking insight into addictions, 24 Oct 2008
Was thoroughly enjoyable and an eye opener. A very well educated and eloquent lady who tells not only her story but gives us all something to think about. Life is not always as it seems and that is something we would all be better off understanding. So many people judge others and if you want to read something inspiring then this is it. Honest and uplifting to think that there is someone who so obviously "bothers" about helping others. all those who havent given 5 stars need to question their intelligence and humanity - such petty comments I thought!

Not enough beans spilt...., 18 Oct 2008
I love her to bits, and as a vegetarian, she and Jennifer made me eat meat again!

I'm sure there is much more she could written about her life, but a very enjoyable book about the life of a fascinating lady.

Buy this book, 16 Nov 2008
Ignore all negative reviews, media hype, preoccupations with how 'true' this account is...It is an excellent book, an excellent piece of writing, unique style, an addictive read, it pulls you in, engages - a purchase you shall not regret.

Great Read., 14 Nov 2008
I can understand people feeling dissapointed when they found out that parts of this book had been fabricated, it's because when we feel something is really and imagine it actually HAPPENING it has more appeal.

But in terms of the book, it is a brilliant read. Cannot put it down.

The writing is strange, but it is fitting for the story that is being told.

a work of inspiration, shock and total honesty, 15 Oct 2008
this is a book that shocks,disturbs but in the end inspires. i bought it for a wide range of friends with varied attitudes and backgrounds. they all without exception couldn't put it down and were moved by it. its about one man's inner strength, about total and utter commitment and a level of determination that should motivate anyone to confront anything. its written in a unique style which embodies the author's approach to dealing with his demons. even IF it is fiction or just embelished (as some people have alleged), if you don't come away inspired to fight your vices, fears and the dark periods of your life, you must be missing something. his sequel, my friend leonard, is different, but a must read too.


Sensation - the best autobiography ever written., 04 Sep 2008
James Frey is the best writer for four hundred years and this book, like his others, transcends all the normal rules of "literature" to create a level of humanity that is completely exceptional.

Good 'story' from a pompous man, 30 Aug 2008
I agree with one of the reviews on the inside cover of the paperback edition which calls Frey selfish, egocentric, violent & pompous. I sensed from the off that something wasn't quite right about the tale Frey was telling. Ultimately he seems more concerned with telling a good story than saying anything that may benefit other recovering addicts. His stubborn rejection of the 12 step programme made him seem like an idiot. As an adult he recalled a childhood 'prank' of him locking his pal in a box. He showed no remorse and said that he still found it funny. The passage of time had not taught him any sense of humility or to care for anyone other than himself. This recollection occured as he was reluctantly working through the early stages of the 12 steps, which he selfishly agreed to do in order to get released from rehab. I regret spending good money on this book and adding to the wealth of this odius man. I would not pay to read the sequel 'My Friend Leonard'

A worthwhile read, 04 Oct 2007
It is astonishing that someone so addled by substance and excess can fashion such an elegant and worthwhile read.Honest from start to finish,the pages are peppered with numerous quips and whips,from
bizarre trips through France by freight train to dropping acid and visiting his mother,this book is nothing short of miraculous.As someone in the grips of such experiences to this very day,this book really resonated.And not in a heavy handed,un-hip kind of way,but in a very bashful,approachable manner.A joy.

Brilliant writing, 24 Jul 2007
This book is subtitled 'Notes from the Slippery Slope.' But it is so much more than 'notes'. It is superbly evocative of the highs and the lows, the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and the mental instability that either results from, co-incidentally exists with, or led to, the excesses of drug-taking described. The story will be easily recognised by anyone who has been in, or watched someone else in, a similar boat on a similarly turbulent sea.
But it is the quality of the writing that makes this book stand well clear of other 'My Drug Nightmare' stories. Read it, laugh, weep and keep clean.

Amazing follow up, 14 Aug 2008
Even better than A Million Little Pieces. I read them back to back, and am in awe of Mr Frey. He is without doubt a major talent, with an ability to engage the reader completely. I look forward to reading his future work.

GET IT AND YOU'LL LOVE IT!!, 18 Mar 2008
This is an emotional,follow on book from 'A Million Little Pieces' I personally didnt thnk anything could top that book, but James Frey surely compelled me in both books. His journey is a emotional rollercoaster through his time in rehab, his experience's in life and the people he meets along the way. 'My Friend Leonard' focuses on a friendship with Man James Frey meets in rehab and how he impacts his life.
THIS IS A MUST READ!! as is 'A Million Little Pieces'.Anyone and everyone who loves honesty and integrity will love this book!!!

Who cares if some of it's embelished, 19 Feb 2008
I have to say I love the style in which James Frey writes his novels it is so refreshing and keeps you hooked from start to finish. The ending of this book is not expected but all the same brilliant. After reading a Million Little Pieces I was wary of reading this incase it did not live up to the first novel but I was not dissapointed at all and would reccomend it to anyone. Two thumbs up!!

a nice surprise, 01 Aug 2007
I've not read his other book..but I really enjoyed this one... I found his writing very different, which is good. It made me cry (almost twice)... I loved the ending... and missed the book once I had finished it. I would have been happy to carry on reading for a few more tube rides. A lovely book.

A Masterpiece!, 30 Jun 2007
I know there is some controversy over James Frey's two books and how much of these so-called first hand accounts of his life are what actually happened.

Frankly I am not bothered. Both books are masterful and very original/inspirational/sad/joyful whether they are fictional, non-fictional or some mixture of the two. Whatever label is attached to the book doesn't alter its content.

My Friend Leonard is a sequel which for once is just as good if not even better than the original. I would strongly recommend reading the books in order but each is self-contained and may be read without having looked at the other.

Ironically as the two books are about addiction they themselves are very addictive. Do you read them as fast as you can or do you try and savour them and make them last a few days was my dilemma. With both of them I tried the latter and ended up doing the former.

Tall tales from a dubious role model, 20 Jul 2008
Howard Marks has produced an implausible and glamorised account of the sordid world of drug-dealing and smuggling. By attempting to present this disgusting trade as humorous, he encourages gullible young people to admire those who engage in it. He portrays himself as an idealist distributing 'beneficial herbs'. It is more likely, in reality, that he exploited the weaknesses of others from selfish mercenary motives. An unrealistic and potentially harmful book.

El Fantastico!!!, 01 Apr 2008
I recently stumbled upon this autobiography and was immediately drawn to it having previously heard of Howard Marks' exploits from friends and i must say what a fantastic read.

The story basically follows Marks' involvement with hashish and weed and his eventual involvement with global smuggling through the 70's and 80's. The authors ability to depict the wonderful characters that he meets and deals with, included my personal favourite, ex-IRA Jim McCann, means that I found this book impossible to put down. Whilst this book obviously is attractive to the liberal minded amongst us, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone as Marks' comes across as a thoroughly likeable oxford "chap" who simply lives out a glamarous life that many of us would certainly follow if had the chance. At no point do you genuinely feel that Marks is a mastermind criminal and all i can say is good on you son for pulling one over on the power that be. Fantastic!

Love it!, 26 Feb 2008
He's a devil but i don't know after reading his real story, i like his humanity!

Extraordinary, controversial character., 22 Jan 2008
From the start this book grabs your attention.Howard Marks tells a fascinating tale about his life starting from when he went to university in oxford to becoming an international dope smuggler.
He comes across as a nice friendly human being, so you don't put him in the same category as an evil crack peddler for example.His intelligence and memory for detail is outstanding but not boring.You have to have a good memory yourself for names and places to keep up with whats going on and hang on to the fast moving narrative.Highly recommended...weather you smoke or not.

Highly Entertaining, 02 Jan 2008
This highly entertaining and often funny autobiography is exciting and full of interesting characters,my favorite being Jim McCann the mad IRA man.
The book is also very revealing about how major drug smuggling operations are carried out and how the CIA and other such organisations operate.
Despite being a major drug smuggler Howard is probably the most honest and trustworthy character in the book and he is very likeable.
My only criticism is that the book is so fast paced and involved so many people and deals that I often got confused as to who was who.

Reveals more about Kimmage than about cycling?, 19 Nov 2008
Plenty of other reviewers have picked up on the obvious bitterness that Kimmage displays towards his chosen sport, as well as his obvious lack of real drive to succeed meaningfully in it; so I'm not going to dwell on that. The anecdote about Sean Kelly and the sauna is sufficient: I won't ruin it for you here. Unlike Kimmage, Kelly was notorious for his brutal training regime. In his own words, from the mid-1980s, Kelly said that if he expected to be able to race for seven hours, then his training 'spins' had to last for eight hours or more. On the evidence he presents in this book, it's hard to imagine Kimmage spending eight hours training on his bike in a week, making it easier to understand why he was only ever an also-ran at best.

What the book does remind one of is how ghastly and brutal a sport professional cycling is; and this is written as one who has raced and has followed the sport enthusiastically for over two decades. No other mainstream sport comes close to the relentless physical exertion, pain and injuries that are a guaranteed by-product of competing on the bike. Even the most casual student of the sport will be familiar with the endless list of doping offenders, virtually from the sport's inception, and including many of the greatest champions, from Coppi to Hinault and onwards. And all those top riders who loathed cycling - Lucien van Impe possibly the most famous. Son of a Belgian miner, it was the bike or the pits. He hated both, but at least the bike meant being in the open air.

Apart from the winning and the money, does anyone enjoy the actual act of competitive cycling itself, aside from the dubious and fleeting pleasure of inflicting pain on your opponents when it's going well? It's a sport dominated by the sons of working people, for whom pain and a grim working environment appear a necessary and accepted part of life. They are tough, brutal people, marked out by extreme tenacity and utter physical ruthlessness. And if everyone else is doping, why not join them? Who gives a stuff, in the end? Especially if you know the chances of getting caught are tiny, even today. Just look at the recent Olympics and the endless string of new world records, with sprinters cruising in at sub-9.8 times. Dope anyone?

Kimmage was an idealist in a world of realpolitik. Naive and, you get the impression, hiding his lack of real appetite for his sport behind his principles. And, in the end, he just wasn't tough enough. He didn't want it enough to play in the big time. But at least he did find out what he is good at. The writing is great and it's a compelling, very enjoyable read, take from it what you will. To anyone who knows the sport at all, learning that so many riders dope is not exactly up there with Saul on the road to Damascus. But there's a lot of good stuff in here and some great anecdotes. Well worth a read.

The Date, The Day...It's All Written Down, 04 Sep 2008
Paul Kimmage is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Sunday Times newspaper in the United Kingdom. Born in Dublin, he is a former professional cyclist who competed in the 1980s - alongside compatriots Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and Martin Earley. In "Rough Ride", Kimmage looks back on his life on the bike - he touches on his amateur years, though he focuses more on his time as a professional. While the move into professional cycling was a dream come true for Kimmage, the reality of professional cycling wasn't quite the dream he had hoped for : never mind the physical and psychological difficulties associated with the sport, cycling had a widespread drugs problem.

The 1980s were great times for Irish cycling - Sean Kelly was successful from one end of the decade to the other, while Stephen Roche won the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the World Championships in 1987. Kimmage, however, was a domestique and never won a race. He entered the professional ranks with RMO in 1986, before moving to Fagor-MBK in 1989 - where he rode alongside Stephen Roche until the Tour de France. He abandoned that race and - despite having intended to quit at the end of that season - he never rode professionally again.

Kimmage was one of four new pros taken on by RMO in 1986 - however, as one of the few non-French riders, it was initially difficult for him to integrate into the team. Nevertheless, Andre 'Dede' Chappuis quickly became a friend - as, in time, did Jean Claude Colotti and Thierry Claveyrolat. As an amateur, Kimmage had heard rumours about the drug-taking in the professional ranks. However, he was determined to stay clean - even, initially, refusing to take the vitamin shots. (The shots were injected and, in Kimmage's mind, syringes meant doping. Nine stages of the 1986 Tour de France changed his mind : he wouldn't have been capable of starting stage 10 without a shot of Vitamin B12). So far as I know, vitamin shots don't count as doping - I may be wrong - but they certainly would certainly appear innocent enough to the man in the street. Similarly, caffeine tablets also sound reasonably innocent - however, they would return a positive test. Nevertheless, they were quite commonly used - taken early enough in the stage, the caffeine would've been out of the system by the time the cyclist reached doping control.

However, things in cycling went far beyond vitamins and caffeine tablets. Kimmage remembers arriving at a race in his early days carrying a briefcase, something that caused a bit of a slagging from the other riders. It was only later that he discovered many other cyclists carried pills and syringes in theirs - while Kimmage himself was only carrying his passport and a few letters. Since not every race tested for drugs, cyclists knew which races they could 'charge up' for safely. While it was never openly encouraged by the management, they were occasionally reminded of their duty as professionals - especially when there were world ranking points at stake. It wasn't uncommon for syringes full of amphetamines to be used, not only in these races but also in Criteriums. EPO, of course, only arrived in the 1990s - but Kimmage also touches on it in the second edition.

"Rough Ride" was first published in 1990 and, while he wasn't expecting it to be universally welcomed, he wasn't expecting the reception the book received. His friendships with Sean Kelly and Martin Earley survived - both are thanked for their support following the book's first publishing - though Thierry Claveyrolat and Jean-Claude Colotti weren't quite so understanding. Worse, things worked out terribly with Stephen Roche. It's clear from reading the book that Kimmage idolised Roche and that riding alongside him at Fagor was a dream come true. Roche, however, seemed to view the book as a personal attack, and was very quick to talk about the possibility of legal action. I'm not sure if the court case ever arrived...the cleanup cycling certainly hasn't. A sad book, but a very highly recommended one.

Phenomenal book, full of the contradictions of life on a bike., 03 Aug 2008
Loved it. The latter edition has some articles and interviews which reflect on the ethics of the peloton not having changed from 89. Many people complain about Kimmage's partisan ire and lack of impartiality, but in the initial book it is nothing of the sort. The book is essentially a diary of his personal sporting troubles, and the acceptance that the organisations of cycling force nearly all young riders to reflect that to compete for any length of time doping is a necessity. He talks about his teammates drug use, but in the main it is a general look at the pressures and reality of doping during the tour/season.

It's full of contradictions that nearly all of us have apart from the Merx's, Hinault's and Armstrong's. Kimmage doesn't avoid the accounts of multiple failures and retirements from races. It's clear that he doesn't have the single-mindedness mentality and dedication for winning but also that he had the talent to compete in stages. Without performance enhancers he would never compete on his favoured routes.

The bitterness froths on the subsequent cycling & media aggression towards him. Was he right? Yes. He wasn't attacking his fellow cyclists, bombastic idiots like McQuaid saw fit to undermine him at every turn. It's a shame that McQuaid didn't put some effort into preventing the systemic drug abuse, that led to so many lives being destroyed by EPO in the 90's.

To all the people criticising Kimmage for his lack of proffessionalism, take a moment to think if you ever could get anywhere near finishing the tour. Then think if your true love of cycling would sustain through having to waste yourself for the team, whilst knowing you were racing
against doped up rivals. Yes he becomes very bitter, mainly after the abuse he receives from the cycling administration that should be ensuring a clean peloton.

Interesting insight, 02 Jul 2008
I've read this book twice now.

I agree with some reviewers that there seems to be hypocrisy in Kimmage's accounts - he claims some of his friends and himself are victims of the pressure to dope just to survive however put Landis and Rasmussen up there in the same situation and they are villans.

However what must be remembered is that the villification of Landis et all by Kimmage happened a full 14 years AFTER the first part of the book.
By this time Kimmage has seen countless sabre rattling false dawns of "we'll clean this up" and each time it comes to nothing.

It needs to be remembered that Kimmage's peers that doped in the 80's are running the sport now.

I've read some of his comments in his newspaper articles and it seems has been left betrayed that the sport he loved could harbour so many
years of cheats. Even the great Jacques Anquetil said "Do you think we did all that with just water in our bottles?"

Even the new holier than thou brigade (David Millar) don't come out of this clean on his return to the Peleton he takes advise from the very doctor who 2 of his clients have been implicated in the Peurto scandal. So you can understand Kimmage's "will they ever learn" attitude.

Ironic as i write this that Spain have just won Euro 2008 and yet in the Puerto scandal of 100+ samples seized 24 are alledged to come from La Liga footballers.... Football has no EPO or blood doping controls just amphetamines and class A drugs......

A good enthralling read.

A Sad Tale that Had to Be Written, 13 Feb 2008
What's it like to be a wonderfully talented amateur bicycle racer who gets thrown into the meat-grinder of professional cycling? Kimmage answers the question in honest yet depressing detail.

An example: This book explains that the fatigued riders who did not place in the final stage of the Tour wouldn't be tested for dope, so they were free to take amphetamines. Reading "Rough Ride" is a lot like driving by a car crash. You really want to avert your eyes but can't. Kimmage's story of life as a cycling domestique is fascinating.

Kimmage makes it very clear that he is only telling his own personal story and not accusing any other rider in particular. But the practices he exposes clearly indict the entire profession. His revelations of the culture of doping within the peloton brought him withering criticism. He wasn't the first to get in trouble for revealing cycling's nasty underside. Bernard Thévenet almost died of liver failure from overuse of corticoids. When he confessed that doping was the cause of his health problems and that doping was a common practice within the peloton, the 2-time Tour winner suffered terrible opprobrium from the press, his sponsor and his fellow racers.

I believe Kimmage's book is the first (at least in English) to detail at length what life as a professional truly entailed. Since then former professional Erwann Menthéour has also written a memoir about doping in cycling which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been translated. Both he and Kimmage explained that the term for revealing cyclists' doping to the public is called "spitting in the soup". Menthéour's (who was caught using EPO) reply was "People are saying I am spitting in the soup, but it is necessary when it is poison." In the last year the wall of silence regarding doping has come tumbling down and several famous racers have confessed their misdeeds.

Yet Kimmage's book is the seminal tome and writing it was an act of courage.

The book is more than about doping. It details Kimmage's own failure to properly train and prepare for some seasons. He also describes the gut-busting exhaustion that the lesser riders suffer as they work at their limits for their more talented team leaders.

"Rough Ride" is a well-written book about racing in the 1980s but its lessons apply to the present. It is important reading for any cycling fan with an interest in what it takes to produce the spectacle we so enjoy watching.

- Bill McGann, author of The Story of the Tour de France


Great, great, great read, 05 Nov 2008
This is one of the the best memoirs I've ever read.
Deep characters, shocking story, didn't expect this kind of book could be true page turner. Make sure you will get this one.

Honest, Powerful & Straight Talking, 16 Jun 2008
Mark Johnson brings us into a world that fortunately for most of us, we never see. This book brings you to the levels that Mark Johnson experienced. The writing is terrific & brings you onto the streets with him & into the turmoil's of his life. This is a very honest book which at times, can be disturbing. I applaud Mark Johnson for getting his life back in order. I am also pleased that his fight has been recognised & totally agree with him when he says his qualifications are his experiences. It's an honest book that takes us down, goes through the 'ups & downs' of his life, the hurt that he passed onto people & try's to explain what drugs does to not only yourself, but to your loved ones. I also admire his honesty. Mark cannot be proud of what he done, but he can be proud of himself now that he came through some shocking experiences that you would not wish on your enemies. Well most of them anyway. Good Luck Mark.

As of the Spring 08 edition, worth tracking down, 28 May 2008
For some reason the first two editions of this book never seemed to drop in price but now, at less than a fiver for this newest paperback version it's worth reading for the homelessness section which led to the commission to write the whole memoir when sections first appeared as separate articles (though the homeless period to the end remains the best of the book, better than the start).

So if you buy this in a bundle with other books and get Super Saver delivery, it provides the best value then.


Unbelievable, 08 Mar 2008
This book was shocking in many ways and has left me with a nasty taste in my mouth. Yes he had a hard life but so do lots of people and they don't disintegrate into drugs and self pity. Surely his victims deserve a mention here, how would you feel if he'd supplied drugs to your son or daughter, would you give him money and an award. I wouldn't. Why is it that in this country you almost have to be a thug who then reforms to get any recognition. The only person that should have been recognised is the man in the book called Sean and all the other tireless volunteers who help these people.

Inspiring, 29 Dec 2007
Wonderful