Bright Shiny Morning
Encyclopedia
Bright Shiny Morning is a novel written by James Frey
, published in 2008. Set in Los Angeles
, it follows the lives of several characters: a married couple, both celebrities, named Amberton and Casey; a young couple, Maddie and Dylan; a Mexican-American maid named Esperanza; a homeless man of Venice named Old Man Joe. The novel not only traces the lives of these main characters but also includes "mini-profiles" of other minor characters as well as facts concerning the county of Los Angeles.
, which described James Frey as follows: “He got another chance. Look what he did with it. He stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park… He became a furiously good storyteller this time.” One reviewer wrote: “Bottom line: If, despite the scandal, you loved A Million Little Pieces
, you might want to devour Bright Shiny Morning. Like its author, it can be called many things, but never boring. Or timid.”
The New York Observer called it a “page turner” but also stated that Frey “leads you into the hills high above Hollywood, shows you the most spectacular view of the hideousness that is Los Angeles, and then abandons you to make the only choice you can: to jump.”
On August 2, 2008, The Guardian
says "Irvine Welsh
is entranced by James Frey's tale of redemption - 'the literary comeback of the decade'. James Frey is probably one of the finest and most important writers to have emerged in recent years."
Other reviews were less positive, with the novel described in one review as “the bastard child of a short-story collection and an almanac.” The Los Angeles Times
called it “an execrable novel, a literary train wreck without even the good grace to be entertaining.”
James Frey
James Christopher Frey is an American writer. His books A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard , as well as Bright Shiny Morning , were bestsellers...
, published in 2008. Set in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, it follows the lives of several characters: a married couple, both celebrities, named Amberton and Casey; a young couple, Maddie and Dylan; a Mexican-American maid named Esperanza; a homeless man of Venice named Old Man Joe. The novel not only traces the lives of these main characters but also includes "mini-profiles" of other minor characters as well as facts concerning the county of Los Angeles.
Reception
The novel received a good review in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, which described James Frey as follows: “He got another chance. Look what he did with it. He stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park… He became a furiously good storyteller this time.” One reviewer wrote: “Bottom line: If, despite the scandal, you loved A Million Little Pieces
A Million Little Pieces
A Million Little Pieces is a semi-fictional memoir by James Frey. It tells the story of a 23-year-old alcoholic and drug abuser and how he copes with rehabilitation in a Twelve steps-oriented treatment center...
, you might want to devour Bright Shiny Morning. Like its author, it can be called many things, but never boring. Or timid.”
The New York Observer called it a “page turner” but also stated that Frey “leads you into the hills high above Hollywood, shows you the most spectacular view of the hideousness that is Los Angeles, and then abandons you to make the only choice you can: to jump.”
On August 2, 2008, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
says "Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
is entranced by James Frey's tale of redemption - 'the literary comeback of the decade'. James Frey is probably one of the finest and most important writers to have emerged in recent years."
Other reviews were less positive, with the novel described in one review as “the bastard child of a short-story collection and an almanac.” The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called it “an execrable novel, a literary train wreck without even the good grace to be entertaining.”