Bright Shiny Morning

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Bright Shiny Morning is a 2008 novel by James Frey, published by HarperCollins in the United States. Set in Los Angeles, it follows several lives: Amberton and Casey, a married celebrity couple; Maddie and Dylan, a younger pair; Esperanza, a Mexican-American maid; and Old Man Joe, a homeless man living in Venice. The book also includes mini-profiles of other characters and small facts about Los Angeles County. Frey and photographer Terry Richardson published a companion photo-book, Wives, Wheels, Weapons, which features three stories from the novel.

Critical reception was mixed. The New York Times praised Frey, calling it a strong comeback and a sign of his storytelling. The Guardian highlighted Frey as one of the era’s notable writers. The New York Observer found the book engaging and hard to put down, while some critics were harsher, with the Los Angeles Times calling it a flawed and unenjoyable read.