You'd have to be living under a rock to have missed all the hub-bub and hype surrounding Jonathan Franzen's new novel FREEDOM.
Not only is it the New York Times #1 Bestseller and Oprah's 64th book club pick, but it has been hailed by critics as a "masterpiece of American fiction", "a work of total genius" and "surprisingly moving and even hopeful". Oprah also referred to the book as a masterpiece which she says is not a word she often uses.
So - it must be good, right? Even great I would think. But the minute something receives critical acclaim or high praise (especially from Oprah) the nay-sayers will also come out to play.
In the October issue of The Atlantic B.R. Myers calls the book a "576-page monument to insignificance". Ouch.
So which is it? The greatest book of our time? Or just another paper weight? Alas the only way to know for sure which side you fall on is to read the book - which is just what the publisher wants!
And as much as I hate to follow a crowd, I also can't stand to be the only one who hasn't read the book everyone is talking about. So - you know where I stand on FREEDOM. In the "I will definitely read it" column. And for now FREEDOM stands in a theoretical pile with the gazillion other books "I will definitely read" - but I will get to it - and when I do, I'll be sure to share my thoughts with you.
Have your read it yet? What did you think? Dish... come on... don't be shy!
-- Dana Barrett, Contributing Editor
