most people don't get freedom or the corrections because they are about subjects so close to the truth of being that over-sensationalized books - such as those written by stephen king, et al. most people want to escape looking that closely. so that go for fantastical. each has their place, but my bet is that most people choose to escape than to get real.
I am sorry, what is the BIG deal. The corrections is VASTLY over-rated. The book is entire boring if you ask me. It has none of the landmark of a good novel. For starters a novel should be riveting or interesting at least--interesting enough to allow you patience to continue reading. I am sorry,a rather far removed upper class white suburban family dysfunction, mascarading as a 'middle class' is something more than i can handle. Suffice to say, i will not read Freedom. Freedom of my dollar!
His novel implies that personal liberty is BAD! Liberty is what made this country GREAT. TYRANNY is NO solution to personal liberty. NEVER NEVER NEVER be deceived by these lies. LIberty and free speech are essential elements to human dignity. God gave us free will. Tyranny is evil. Just look up "New World Order" on youtube. Trust Jesus Christ, not Oprah.
It's Sept. 2, 2010 and I'm about 70% through The Discomfort Zone. I read most of it up on a lake at a family reunion in Wisconsin. It just struck me the way Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men struck me when I read it on my own in high school. Within 15 mins I paused...holy crap this guy can write.
Franzen is a good writer, very good; but "trashing that bitch, Oprah" was gratuitously snobbish. As for her book picks being sentimental, woman's junk,"it's a fatuous remark, unworthy of refuting.
@Petey123123 Well that's kinda what i used to think. But she has picked Jeffery Eugenides and William Faulkner. So some of the picks are actually quite good
Part of me hates Franzen but I mostly think he is terrific. This is perhaps the mark of a truly great writer! His success has been good for all American writing. I wish him more success, because when he has too much money to care about his career, perhaps he will write the best ever novel. At least I hope that's how it turns out. My two cents about his Oprah thing though: if that purple "O" sticker had been on the paperback issue I saw in the book store, I probably would not have bought it.
@ronnie2407 One of Franzen's recent Rules of Writing is:
Never use the word "then" as a conjunction – we have "and" for this purpose. Substituting "then" is the lazy or tone-deaf writer's non-solution to the problem of too many "ands" on the page.
Could someone please explain that, with an example. I don't know how to use "then" as a conjunction, I thought "and" and "or" were the only choices.
most people don't get freedom or the corrections because they are about subjects so close to the truth of being that over-sensationalized books - such as those written by stephen king, et al. most people want to escape looking that closely. so that go for fantastical. each has their place, but my bet is that most people choose to escape than to get real.
bigcyhutch 5 months ago
a bit too St Louis focused.
BargainBookMole: Guaranteed to find the lowest prices online or the book is on us!
BargainBookMole 1 year ago
Sucking up
letsif 1 year ago
I am sorry, what is the BIG deal. The corrections is VASTLY over-rated. The book is entire boring if you ask me. It has none of the landmark of a good novel. For starters a novel should be riveting or interesting at least--interesting enough to allow you patience to continue reading. I am sorry,a rather far removed upper class white suburban family dysfunction, mascarading as a 'middle class' is something more than i can handle. Suffice to say, i will not read Freedom. Freedom of my dollar!
Basra2020 1 year ago
His novel implies that personal liberty is BAD! Liberty is what made this country GREAT. TYRANNY is NO solution to personal liberty. NEVER NEVER NEVER be deceived by these lies. LIberty and free speech are essential elements to human dignity. God gave us free will. Tyranny is evil. Just look up "New World Order" on youtube. Trust Jesus Christ, not Oprah.
HealthisWealthyes 1 year ago
I'd like to cancel my order.
TheTruth006 1 year ago
@HealthisWealthyes Sorry, but you're not much of a literary critic.
chrblair 3 months ago
It's Sept. 2, 2010 and I'm about 70% through The Discomfort Zone. I read most of it up on a lake at a family reunion in Wisconsin. It just struck me the way Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men struck me when I read it on my own in high school. Within 15 mins I paused...holy crap this guy can write.
firethief 1 year ago
Anyone who lets a TV personality decide what he/she should read...well, I don't believe he/she would be able to handle a novel like The Corrections.
CastleRockFan 1 year ago
The Oprah show should not be a major source of people's literary selections.
TyroneTasty 1 year ago
I didn't know he was from my home town. :o
UncleFizzmo 1 year ago
I was in fellowship with him.
moparrothead56 2 years ago 2
Franzen is a good writer, very good; but "trashing that bitch, Oprah" was gratuitously snobbish. As for her book picks being sentimental, woman's junk,"it's a fatuous remark, unworthy of refuting.
princeandrey 2 years ago
i'm glad he trashed that bitch oprah
she sucks and so do her books picks
their sentimental, woman's junk
Petey123123 3 years ago
@Petey123123 Well that's kinda what i used to think. But she has picked Jeffery Eugenides and William Faulkner. So some of the picks are actually quite good
esteban57764 1 year ago
Im a Franzen.. this is weird.
Franzentric 3 years ago
Part of me hates Franzen but I mostly think he is terrific. This is perhaps the mark of a truly great writer! His success has been good for all American writing. I wish him more success, because when he has too much money to care about his career, perhaps he will write the best ever novel. At least I hope that's how it turns out. My two cents about his Oprah thing though: if that purple "O" sticker had been on the paperback issue I saw in the book store, I probably would not have bought it.
mlawren7 3 years ago 6
Jonathan Franzen is a beautiful writer, one of the shrewdest and most astute of novelists currently writing
ronnie2407 4 years ago 10
@ronnie2407 One of Franzen's recent Rules of Writing is:
Never use the word "then" as a conjunction – we have "and" for this purpose. Substituting "then" is the lazy or tone-deaf writer's non-solution to the problem of too many "ands" on the page.
Could someone please explain that, with an example. I don't know how to use "then" as a conjunction, I thought "and" and "or" were the only choices.
MEpianist 1 year ago