Friday, May 20, 2011

June 14, 2011: "Freedom," by Jonathan Franzen

Born in the Chicago suburbs and raised outside of St. Louis, Franzen knows the Midwest. He also knows what Tolstoy knew:
 "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
Some readers don't enjoy stories about family dysfunction. They'd prefer to read "The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore"and watch "Little House on the Prairie" with the grandchildren. Good for them. The world needs boring people, if only to help the rest of us feel a little better.

Me, I'd rather read Franzen.