What are you reading?

[obsession57]

Yup, I've read it and there is. Even on the back it says that after reading it you'll want to share the story, but you shouldn't give away details. I always read the back, and I must say it was quite refreshing to read a book without knowing anything. I loved this book, so enjoy your read!

I hate it when the back of the book or the inside flap tells too much. I rarely read any of this.

[MizDaisy]

I also like the sound of Never Let Me Go.

The author also wrote Remains of the Day, which I never read but absolutely loved the movie. Since the movie Never Let Me Go is about to premiere, I may see that first before reading the book. IMO there are very few successful books that make successful movies, so I won't rule out the book if I don't like the movie.

[Gutmutter]

I have an old boyfriend who's an avid reader. We were comparing notes about some of our favorite books and discovered we had both really liked Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. Turns out he liked it so much he bought every book he wrote. He was ready to let them go, so he sent them all to me... over a dozen... from JAPAN!!!

[brunette trixie]

I read Never Let Me Go, and I was so impressed by it. The story stayed with me long after I finished reading it.

I have no desire to see the movie because I'm not a Keira Knightly fan.

[norealityhere]

I'd love to see someone, I think it was Poppy, give us a review of Freedom.
I read his first book, The Corrections, and while I think he's a good writer, I can't say I'd recommend it. It was a bit too pompous from a writing standpoint, IMO. And the whole put down of Oprah at the time, was just a bit too much for me. I don't happen to be one who follows Oprah, but I really don't see why anyone - especially a newly published author at the time - would put down Oprah for publicizing his book and elevating it to the public's attention.

[straycat80]

I just read two fantastic books by Linda Castillo. Sworn to Silence and Pray for Silence. They are murder/mystery books and they were so good I literally could not put them down. I highly recommend this author.

[Poppy Fields]

I'd love to see someone, I think it was Poppy, give us a review of Freedom.
I read his first book, The Corrections, and while I think he's a good writer, I can't say I'd recommend it. It was a bit too pompous from a writing standpoint, IMO. And the whole put down of Oprah at the time, was just a bit too much for me. I don't happen to be one who follows Oprah, but I really don't see why anyone - especially a newly published author at the time - would put down Oprah for publicizing his book and elevating it to the public's attention.

"Freedom" is a slow-starter for me. It's not a book I can't put down. In fact, I'm reluctant to pick it up. I'm about 60 pages into it (it's about 560 pp., hard cover length) - so it's going to be a long time before I can submit a review.

I think he writes really well - but I'm finding I'm not all that interested in the character "Patty" who seems to be the focus of the story to this point. I'll do a book report when I finish (at this rate, by Christmas).

[Poppy Fields]

Oprah's Book Club Discussion Jonathan Franzen's Freedom - Oprah.com

Here's a link to the book club's discussion of "Freedom: A Novel." Many readers are contrubuting there as they read it, and you can follow along if you like.

[norealityhere]

Thanks, Poppy. I thought you had finished it when you first posted.
I had already seen the latest reviews and the piece from Oprah.

Can you tell me if you read his first book, the Corrections, and if so, what you thought of it?

My problem with him, or a part of it, is that I don't really like the characters. Sounds like your problem, getting through Freedom, may be similar.

TIA

[Poppy Fields]

Can you tell me if you read his first book, the Corrections, and if so, what you thought of it?

I did read The Corrections and I don't think Freedom is of the same caliber, in the literary sense. The Corrections had me at the first page, and it garnered numerous awards (as well as the Pulitzer near miss). Sometimes, I'll read a book twice, and I did read The Corrections again last year, after having read his 2 essay collections as well as his memoir The Discomfort Zone. The Corrections had a lot to impart to me. It was a story very well told, while being rooted in a social commentary that was his alone. It seems to me he's trying to repeat the "family" idiom in Freedom, but he's missing the mark (so far, anyway).

So far, Freedom is not engaging me, at all. It's not just that the characters don't appeal to me (that's OK), but that his style is all over the map and it's pretentiously "literate," if you know what I mean. Pompous is the correct word, I guess.

I'll muddle through it, but I'm going to treat myself to Sephen King's Under the Dome while I do. The King novel is twice as long, but I'll bet I finish it before Franzen's. But who knows? Maybe my interest will kick in after a few more chapters ::groan::.