Positively False—A Million Little Pieces (Class Action) Redux

We sued James Frey and Random House for falsely promoting A Million Little Pieces as an accurate account of Mr. Frey’s trials and tribulations with drugs and alcohol. The lawsuit generated refunds for people who purchased the book and—we thought—taught the publishing industry something about due diligence and the consequences of turning a blind eye to author’s opportunistic use the “non-fiction” label.

Apparently the publishing industry (particularly Simon & Schuster) needs another reminder. And so does Floyd Landis. Dave Rosenthal offers a good description in the Baltimore Sun:

In his memoir, published in 2007, Landis took a defiant stand, saying he was innocent of the doping accusations and victim of cycling’s establishment. The publisher described the book this way: "Floyd Landis details the highs and lows of his career with unabashed honesty. It is this same honesty with which he will clear his name once and for all … and finally lays to rest the scandal that threatened to destroy everything he’s worked so hard to achieve." And that tone is clear, from the book’s opening words: "I have nothing to hide."

This week we will be filing a nationwide class action seeking refunds for all persons who paid (MSRP $24.95) for Positively False. Please let us know if you’re interested in participating.