Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

I finished Freedom last night.  It is the kind of book whose characters linger in the mind even after the last sentence has been read.  The book is not an easy one to read.  It is not difficult in terms of language or readability.  Quite the opposite, actually.  A page turner with humor, insight, and painfully realistic characters, the novel manages to take you on an intense roller coaster ride.  At times I felt depressed with the characters as I became lost in their own devouring of one another.  There is no glorifying of the brokenness of mankind in this book.  In contrast, the stark realistic portrayal of the destruction of ourselves, others, and our world if left to our own devices is devastating.

If you are interested in this book or in a good interview, take 20 minutes to listen to the BBC's interview with the author, Jonathan Franzen.   Click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00b3lh9