if you love the truth, prove it

Author James Frey, whose trial-by-Oprah

was so entertaining that it inspired me to start blogging (he was the subject of my first post), has come to terms with his publisher, and together they have agreed to make whole those readers who were misled by Frey’s dramatically enhanced memoir A Million Little Pieces.

If you were harmed by Frey’s imaginatively constructed story of his life, first you need to swear on the life of your firstborn that you’re telling the truth:

People making a claim will also have to submit a sworn statement that they would not have bought the book if they knew that certain facts had been embroidered or changed.

Then you can get back your shekels after you follow these steps:

To claim a refund, readers who bought a copy of the book on or before Jan. 26 must submit proof of purchase. This will not be limited to a dated receipt however: hardcover buyers, who are entitled to a $23.95 refund, must submit page 163 (chosen at random, according to the source familiar with the negotiations); paperback buyers (entitled to $14.95) must send in the front cover of the book; those who bought the audio book ($34.95) will have to send in a piece of the packaging, and those who bought the e-book, at $9.95 apiece, must send in some proof of purchase.