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In 2003, a book came out that rocked my world—a book that spoke to the deepest, darkest, and hidden parts of me in ways no other book ever had. At the time, I was a couple years sober after having blown my life up into a million little pieces.
I couldn’t believe this book said what it said. Reading it felt like someone was reading my mind—the parts I kept hidden and couldn’t imagine saying out loud.
My guest today is James Frey, the mysterious wizard who authored this sorcery. James had set out to become the bad boy of American literature. His heroes are Baudelaire and Henry Miller, writers like Hunter S. Thompson who wrote unapologetically and fearlessly. He wanted to be bold like them, crafting his own bad boy mythology.
This conversation explores his literary philosophy, the intersection of creativity and the Tao, and his approach to capturing inspiration—something he calls “prowling with the panther.”
“The right way is the right way. You find there’s no reason to question it.”
– JAMES FREY
Today, we discuss:
- The Book That Changed Everything for Readers in Recovery
- Writing as Emotional Truth vs Literal Trut
- Literary Heroes and Bad Boy Mythology
- The Intersection of Creativity and the Tao
- Prowling With Your Panther Philosophy
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Peace + Plants,
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- Connect With James: Instagram | Facebook
- Book: Next To Heaven: A Novel
- Book: A Million Little Pieces
- Article: New York Times: Oprah Shamed James Frey. He’s Back Anyway
- Article: The Wall Street Journal: An Infamous Author Wrote a Novel About His Town. What Do the Neighbors Think?
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