Question about Jonathan Franzen

[swimmermom3]

Our local Arts and Lectures program is offering a series of five speakers that include:

 

Jefferey Toobin

Barbara Kingsolver

Jonathan Franzen

Stephen Greenblatt

Nikky Finney

 

Before purchasing a subscription, I want to make sure that I will appreciate the speakers. I have never read anything by Jonanthan Franzen and the reviews on Amazon are as confusing as all heck.

 

I was hoping the hive could suggest what you think is his best work and why. If you loathed him, tell me why too, please.

[Carol in Cal.]

I loathe him because he writes absolutely evocative prose about things that are completely unacceptable to me. I hated The Corrections. It postulated and basically proved that happiness is a zero sum game; that one can only be happy at the expense of someone else's happiness. Also there is a torture scene that I wish I could bleach out of my brain.

 

I heard part of an interview with him on the radio, and he sounded as arrogant as all get out.

 

Do not like him or his writing.

[Heather in Neverland]

I loathe him because he writes absolutely evocative prose about things that are completely unacceptable to me. I hated The Corrections. It postulated and basically proved that happiness is a zero sum game; that one can only be happy at the expense of someone else's happiness. Also there is a torture scene that I wish I could bleach out of my brain.

 

I heard part of an interview with him on the radio, and he sounded as arrogant as all get out.

 

Do not like him or his writing.

 

I also hated that book... Totally loathed it.

[swimmermom3]

I loathe him because he writes absolutely evocative prose about things that are completely unacceptable to me. I hated The Corrections. It postulated and basically proved that happiness is a zero sum game; that one can only be happy at the expense of someone else's happiness. Also there is a torture scene that I wish I could bleach out of my brain.

 

I heard part of an interview with him on the radio, and he sounded as arrogant as all get out.

 

Do not like him or his writing.

 

Carol, this is helpful. The reviews were all over the board and I could not get a feel for Franzen as a writer. I tried to figure out if it was only a conservative reader that might be offended. I don't know if I am saying this right, but there are writers who can be offensive, but still be skilled writers with something valuable to say.

 

However, you and I have had some good book discussions, so I suspect I might have a similar reaction Corrections, if not Franzen himself. My thought is that if as a writer, you are going to force me down a long, dark tunnel which drops into an abyss, you better have a darn good reason for taking me there and you had better do it with such skill that I may forgive you in the end.

 

I think I'll try to find an interview and give a listen. If he is really arrogant, I doubt dh will go with me.

[Rivka]

I haven't read any of Franzen's books, but I've been repelled by what I've seen of his arrogance and sexism. This is the guy who turned down having The Corrections picked for Oprah's Book Club because he didn't want his book to get girl cooties. (No, seriously: "I had some hope of actually reaching a male audience and I've heard more than one reader in signing lines now at bookstores say 'If I hadn't heard you, I would have been put off by the fact that it is an Oprah pick. I figure those books are for women. I would never touch it.' ")

 

He also wrote an article for The New Yorker about the works of Edith Wharton, in which he argued that Wharton wrote the books she did because she was ugly and mannish. Apparently all of The House of Mirth can be boiled down to Wharton wanting to punish her protagonist for being prettier than Wharton was.

 

I'd give his talk a pass.

[Danestress]

He is a marvelous, inventive, original writer, even when he is being infuriating. Are you really going to miss a chance to hear a Pulitzer prize finalist And National Book Club winner speak because he might say things you don't agree with?

[azucena]

Here is an excerpt from Freedeom that appeared in the New Yorker, so you can take a test drive: http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/05/31/100531fi_fiction_franzen

 

(I am not a big Franzen fan.)

[Belacqua]

I really like his writing; I read his earlier books before the Oprah kerfluffle, and I wholly enjoyed The Corrections and Freedom, as well. His work is challenging and evocative, and some of his passages really lingered.

 

That said, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't care to attend his lecture. He does come across like a bit of a self-important jackass. I regret having gone to hear Kurt Vonnegut speak, despite being fond of his writing, and I suspect Franzen would have a similar effect. Oddly, though, I think I'd like to hear Ms. Kingsolver speak, even though I've wanted to chuck many of her books under the couch.

[JennyD]

He is a marvelous, inventive, original writer, even when he is being infuriating.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I did not enjoy The Corrections the first time I read it but that book had a weirdly compelling hold on me and I have since reread it at least twice. I also highly recommend his book of essays, How to Be Alone, especially the piece about the Chicago mail system.

 

I doubt I'd want to be married to the guy, but he is such an original thinker and writer. I would love to hear him speak. Actually, that whole program sounds awesome. Is there going to be a Q&A? We can help you come up with questions! :)

Edited July 14, 2012 by JennyD