The "Corrections" are great,but my favorite book is "Freedom", but I don`t like the end of the novel. Franzen has a pleasant,loose writing style and he is a master in it to give us an analyse of every Character.You fall into the story.
A sprawling epic of a novel! The concept of 'Freedom' presented and examined as a duality or a dichotomy. If you can do anything, what you can't do is implied. Is complete autonomy a blessing or a curse? Franzen grapples with this problem in a wonderfully dramatic and entertaining manner. This book reminded me of John Updike's "Rabbit" series.
@ZachClooney I agree with you, here; his interpretation of the novel's function vis a vis solitude is something I heard Robert Stone talk about a decade or so back. By the way, I think Stone--particularly the Stone of his earlier novels--is the better writer; but I do love what Franzen said about badly behaved people in Jane Austen novels.
Some really stupid people on this page. Franzen is an author who understands the world he lives in almost better than anyone else. His characters are incredibly well realised to the point that they stay with you for years. Their imperfections are devastating, but there is always generosity in his work as there is in life. Speaking as someone who wants to write fiction, I can say that one can learn a huge amount from JF should they only focus on the huge array of formal technique on display.
@ZachClooney We need hundreds of Franzens to keep reminding this dumbed downed world about the importance of reading. Near the end of this video, Franzen is brilliant about his favourite themes solitude, loneliness, and reading novel.
@parker1227 What? All he said was that 2000 to 2008 was a rough experience for liberals, which was absolutely true. At no point did he say he hated conservatives or conservatism, nor does he say he hates Bush. Do yourself a favor and think before you open that trap of yours.
@mondoeargood - Please take a deep breath and re-read my original post. I merely stated that I did not care for "The Corrections" which I did read and because of that I didn't care to read the current book. I am not criticizing the new book in any way - it's obviously going to sell well. But based on your opinion of the book, I'll download a sample to my Kindle. Who knows I might enjoy it. I'm open to that.
Its too bad I only found this video and these comments now because mean-spirited idiots like "Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus" [talk about "pretentious" "dickheads"!] probably won't read this. But they know nothing about literature [you don't have to like all the characters], nothing about Franzen, and certainly nothing about psychiatry or psychology [as claimed]. Try offering a reasoned critique rather than just throwing flames that only display your ignorance or miserably failed attempts to be funny or clever [eg, that an author & his character who highlight the global dangers of overpopulation should both kill themselves to set an example! Not amusing under any circumstances, but especially not when directed at someone who lost, & spoke in this very clip, about one of his best friends who tragically suffered serious depression and a suicide].
If writing awards are nothing more than prizes given for being a good leftist, explain the success of John Updike, who was deeply, deeply conservative and considered one of the greatest writers of his generation. Yeah. I'm waiting.
Yea, years ago I tried to write some screenplays and before long I started feeling physically nauseous because everything in my life became potential fodder for writing. It was hard to just experience something or someone simply for the sake of the experience. I realized how warped and sad the life of a writer really is.
If his new book is like "The Corrections" - it will be a reviewers' triumph. "The Corrections" may have resonated with people - but it was "the emperor's new clothes" to me - a crashing bore. Just mho - "Freedom" is not a book I'm anxious to read.
@zachmasterzach it's more about the human struggle to figure out which freedoms we are going to allow ourselves. Hey, we're all allowed our own interpretations, I really mean you no disrespect, I just can't believe you would associate this novel with the new world order-- that's more like an accusation than an interpretation, IMO.
@HealthisWealthyes maybe you have a humor that is beyond me, but I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not. If not, then I think that's a narrow interpretation of the novel. I see no evidence of Franzen blatantly telling us what to think, nor do I believe this was his intention. He's simply highlighting all the new hardships and dilemmas that newfound freedoms present to the individual. You say God gave us free will, but religion necessitates some sacrifice of freedom, too.
He would not make the greatest English Professor. He is pretty good at writing literature. Not so goo about analyzing literature, even if it is his ow. Plato made the point in Book 10 of The Republic
Started to read "The Corrections"...Got to the part, early on in the novel, where the protagonist is trying to still smell the scent of his lover's vagina on his couch, months after they last made love there....And I thought, "This author is trying TOOOO hard to be 'literary'"
Freedom was an awful book about horrible people doing shitty things. They had no redeeming qualities, and as such you really felt no interest in their story arc, unless you were hoping for them to die horrible deaths. I feel that the author is a thief who was aided and abetted by dishonest media to enable him to take money from the pockets of gullible people. Fortunately I didn't buy the book, I found it at a house I moved into. I read it and then took it with me the next time I went camping to use as tinder for the campfire. I really urge people who own copies of this book to destroy them lest they fall into the hands of an unsuspecting reader. The world is worse off because of the existence of this book. I don't personally wish the author any harm, but if he did die suddenly, it would be a net gain for society.
![fellow fellow - PROUD feat. INK WARUNTORN [STRING QUARTET]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BQrVkMPTdHE/mqdefault.jpg)
'The corrections' is the most amazing reader experience I've ever had. I read almost every sentence three times to enjoy the style of the book
He's brilliant, sensitive, brave, and dead-on about everything.
He is in tune with the nuances and the absurdities of our modern world, more than any other writer I know of.
Brilliant book and a brilliant insight into American society.
This makes me miss DFW.
"Takes me a long time to write a novel."
The best thing an author can say.
Jonathan Franze's cool because he seems to know exactly who he is. I wish I could be more like him
Anyone read purity? A long read but very rewarding.
A great writer. What Dostoevsky got to the core and Tolstoy teased about, Mr. Franzen probes. It is very good lit. Very good.
"the unseen interviewer has asked me" 4:39. That made me giggle
he's an amazing author
Freedom...best book ive ever read!
Franzen is awesome :)
what a big marvelously mopey sillyheaded genius
Wow! Only 249 views so far? And this is one of the most exciting novelists of the last twelve years. Can't wait to read 'Freedom'.
@ZachClooney Absolutely! Dog Soldiers, A Flag for Sunrise, and Children of Light are all terrific, in my estimation!
When i think of freedom i only remember joeys weird poop thing with the bathroom scene and him and connies conversation on the phone
How do you remember that and not all the talk of environmentalism and birds. Perverted
great. one of those few great novelists, actually thinking and talking without being interrupted
The "Corrections" are great,but my favorite book is "Freedom", but I don`t like the end of the novel. Franzen has a pleasant,loose writing style and he is a master in it to give us an analyse of every Character.You fall into the story.
A sprawling epic of a novel! The concept of 'Freedom' presented and examined as a duality or a dichotomy. If you can do anything, what you can't do is implied. Is complete autonomy a blessing or a curse? Franzen grapples with this problem in a wonderfully dramatic and entertaining manner. This book reminded me of John Updike's "Rabbit" series.
@ZachClooney I agree with you, here; his interpretation of the novel's function vis a vis solitude is something I heard Robert Stone talk about a decade or so back. By the way, I think Stone--particularly the Stone of his earlier novels--is the better writer; but I do love what Franzen said about badly behaved people in Jane Austen novels.
It must be sad for him to be constantly under DFW's shadow, even now.
Some really stupid people on this page. Franzen is an author who understands the world he lives in almost better than anyone else. His characters are incredibly well realised to the point that they stay with you for years. Their imperfections are devastating, but there is always generosity in his work as there is in life. Speaking as someone who wants to write fiction, I can say that one can learn a huge amount from JF should they only focus on the huge array of formal technique on display.
@ZachClooney We need hundreds of Franzens to keep reminding this dumbed downed world about the importance of reading. Near the end of this video, Franzen is brilliant about his favourite themes solitude, loneliness, and reading novel.
@princeandrey Thanks for linking Franzen to Robert Stone. Your enthusiasm makes me want to start reading the novels of Stone.
@parker1227 What? All he said was that 2000 to 2008 was a rough experience for liberals, which was absolutely true. At no point did he say he hated conservatives or conservatism, nor does he say he hates Bush. Do yourself a favor and think before you open that trap of yours.
@mondoeargood -
Please take a deep breath and re-read my original post.
I merely stated that I did not care for "The Corrections" which I did read and because of that I didn't care to read the current book.
I am not criticizing the new book in any way - it's obviously going to sell well. But based on your opinion of the book, I'll download a sample to my Kindle. Who knows I might enjoy it. I'm open to that.
Its too bad I only found this video and these comments now because mean-spirited idiots like "Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus" [talk about "pretentious" "dickheads"!] probably won't read this. But they know nothing about literature [you don't have to like all the characters], nothing about Franzen, and certainly nothing about psychiatry or psychology [as claimed]. Try offering a reasoned critique rather than just throwing flames that only display your ignorance or miserably failed attempts to be funny or clever [eg, that an author & his character who highlight the global dangers of overpopulation should both kill themselves to set an example! Not amusing under any circumstances, but especially not when directed at someone who lost, & spoke in this very clip, about one of his best friends who tragically suffered serious depression and a suicide].
If writing awards are nothing more than prizes given for being a good leftist, explain the success of John Updike, who was deeply, deeply conservative and considered one of the greatest writers of his generation.
Yeah. I'm waiting.
Another 3 days to go before the hard copy of 'Freedom' is released in Britain.
What a drag it must be to continually replay or imagine or make up everything that has stamped itself on your soul.
Yea, years ago I tried to write some screenplays and before long I started feeling physically nauseous because everything in my life became potential fodder for writing. It was hard to just experience something or someone simply for the sake of the experience. I realized how warped and sad the life of a writer really is.
Freedom was no corrections, but it was good
I thought it was better than corrections
at first i found him a bit pretentious, and i guess he is, but i found myself totally in agreement with him from around 11:00 on.
he reminds me of a very smart, flummoxed turtle
David Foster Wallace is Kurt Cobain. Jonathan Franzen is Dave Grohl. Stephanie Meyer is Krist Novoselic.
@McSaddle It looks good.
If his new book is like "The Corrections" - it will be a reviewers' triumph. "The Corrections" may have resonated with people - but it was "the emperor's new clothes" to me - a crashing bore.
Just mho - "Freedom" is not a book I'm anxious to read.
@parker1227 Then how come glenn beck, bill o'reily, sean hannity, nick gillespie, etc. write best-sellers?
252
@McSaddle LOL :)
@arachn0idx1
Yeah, that was a pretty harsh comment. Seems a bit ignorant too as they're both pretty influential, just in different ways.
@mondoeargood - I never said, that it wasn't any good - how could I if I had not read it. Please take the time to re-read my original post.
@zachmasterzach it's more about the human struggle to figure out which freedoms we are going to allow ourselves.
Hey, we're all allowed our own interpretations, I really mean you no disrespect, I just can't believe you would associate this novel with the new world order-- that's more like an accusation than an interpretation, IMO.
@McSaddle
That´s how we wear it in Europe, I mean the smart guys. Everything´s better than a Ralph Lauren polo.
Really amused by all the angry conservatives in these comments. Need a hug, guys?
@HealthisWealthyes maybe you have a humor that is beyond me, but I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not. If not, then I think that's a narrow interpretation of the novel. I see no evidence of Franzen blatantly telling us what to think, nor do I believe this was his intention. He's simply highlighting all the new hardships and dilemmas that newfound freedoms present to the individual. You say God gave us free will, but religion necessitates some sacrifice of freedom, too.
@HealthisWealthyes I didn't realize there was a difference between Jesus Christ and Oprah. Huh, you learn something every day.
i just realized that the pattern of his speech is similar to the Joker in the Dark Knight, the semi stammering quavering voice is pure Joker
E io mi dovrei studiare questo stronzetto per domani? GAZZUGAZZU
He would not make the greatest English Professor. He is pretty good at writing literature. Not so goo about analyzing literature, even if it is his ow. Plato made the point in Book 10 of The Republic
Can you maybe suggest better contemporary American authors, then?
@mondoeargood - no need to be nasty man - just because I don't care for this author. Peace.
@helliop LOL thats fucking funny LOL LOL
He sounds strikingly like Jeffrey Dahmer
zzz
@McSaddle Franzen's $millions simply cannot buy him a decent dress sense!
Sure hope this guy doesn't try to publish his personality because it won't sell, yawn!
Started to read "The Corrections"...Got to the part, early on in the novel, where the protagonist is trying to still smell the scent of his lover's vagina on his couch, months after they last made love there....And I thought, "This author is trying TOOOO hard to be 'literary'"
Respect to Mr. Franzen for snubbing Oprah, but I regret to say that his novels just aren't very good.
Freedom was an awful book about horrible people doing shitty things. They had no redeeming qualities, and as such you really felt no interest in their story arc, unless you were hoping for them to die horrible deaths. I feel that the author is a thief who was aided and abetted by dishonest media to enable him to take money from the pockets of gullible people. Fortunately I didn't buy the book, I found it at a house I moved into. I read it and then took it with me the next time I went camping to use as tinder for the campfire. I really urge people who own copies of this book to destroy them lest they fall into the hands of an unsuspecting reader. The world is worse off because of the existence of this book. I don't personally wish the author any harm, but if he did die suddenly, it would be a net gain for society.