The Corrections

Pretentiously Written, Depressing, Unlikeable Characters

I suppose it's a reflection of my bourgeois middlebrow tastes that I didn't just hate this book but thought it badly written--Pulitzer Prize Finalist or not. It's one of those novels with an omniscient narrative with lots of Post-Modernist Stylistic Touches that Examines The Human Condition(tm)--in other words a pretentious, depressing work with unlikeable characters and turgid prose. The kind of book where paragraphs can go on for more than a page and single sentences, kept aloft with slashes, parenthesis, colons and semi-colons almost as long. (See, page 11, 17.) One with irritating affectations like referring to a fictitious school as "D-- College." (God, just make up a name already.)

Every once in a while I did think there were flashes of brilliance (which is why it gets more than one star). Such as how in Part One, Enid and Alfred, an elderly Midwestern couple, are characterized through their possessions. Or in Part Two how their son Chip translates the subtext of his mother's quizzing of his girlfriend.

However, not even the satiric tones could make Chip's self-absorbed academic musings bearable--maybe Franzen did that too well--I had flashbacks to the worst of my politically correct college professors. Franzen's depiction of Yuppiehood in New York City wasn't any more appealing. (And I say that as a proud native New Yorker who usually loves to see my city depicted.) I lasted till the end of the second part at page 134 because I wanted to give such a raved-about book a fair shot. By then I knew there was no way I was going to last all the way to the end at page 566 without taking it out on some innocent bystander.

23 out of 32 people found this review helpful.

must read

Alfred Lambert was the patriarch and the disciplinarian of a family of five. However, he now suffers ignobly from Parkinson's disease and has plenty of elder care needs. His spouse Enid wants to remain loyal to her long time mate and provider, or at least her memory of him. However, she feels more like a hostage to his sickness though choosing to ignore his illness and dream about anything more uplifting to care about.

Their only daughter Denise begins a job in a hip bistro in Philadelphia. However, she puts her work in jeopardy when she begins an affair with her boss¿ spouse. The oldest son Gary struggles with depression. With the help of his wife he steps closer to the abyss of a breakdown. The youngest son Chip loses his academic job due to a student. He almost loses his life next on some fraudulent scheme in Europe. The Lambert brood appears all ready to self-destruct and yet each one keeps alive in their heart a glimmer of hope for a better future.

THE CORRECTIONS is a humorous yet extremely serious look at an American family against a backdrop of the world scene. The story line is bitter, melancholy, and yet somehow manages to be optimistic as well. Each member of the Lambert brood is a genuine individual struggling to cope with life. Though harsh in many respects, humor keeps the novel from becoming too maudlin. Jonathan Franzen, who writes a novel every decade or so, shows why he is one of the best authors with this must read classic look at the American way of life.

Harriet Klausner

11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

This book is certainly unlike any other I've read, which I find refreshing. I agree with several other reviewers in how unlikable several of the characters are-- but I don't find that to be distracting, maybe a little unrealistic. What I enjoy about this book is that it is a challenging read-- I get very annoyed with books that assume I won't see through the obvious metaphors and sentimental fluff. This certainly doesn't do that- however, I do think this author thinks too much of his own intellect. His forays into his characters' lives do little to keep my interest-- I found myself skipping entire paragraphs several times, and questioning the importance of his detailed descriptions of the Lithuanian saga, incidental characters on the cruise ship, and yes, the talking terd. It was here that I felt the author's arrogance made itself pretty apparent-- shocking for the sake of being shocking and nothing else. I was greatly disappointed on that front as it truly detracted from the book's merit. For the most part though, Franzen has an astonishing control and balance in his writing. I found myself awed at times at how accurate and believable his descriptions were without insulting my intelligence. This is a truly gifted writer who unfortunately, it all too aware of his gift.

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Glad I don't know these people.

Not much plot and depressing characters.

6 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

Difficult at times, but worth it

The first 15-20 pages of this book are the most boring, tedious, and grueling. However, good news, the book becomes more accessible and enjoyable after that. In this book more than many others I have read, I felt as though I really knew all of the main characters (except maybe Chip, he seemed a little hollow and unrealistic by the end). Franzen really breathes life into every person of the Lampbert family. At times, the book took a little work and was heavily riddled with thick metaphors, but in the end, they are all worth it and only give the reader a further look into the lives and minds of the characters. I would suggest this book to almost anyone who had some determination to get through some of the thicker sections. The end is much more moving than I expected, probably because by then I had such deep understanding and sympathies for the characters. It was interesting, entertaining, and gave an intimate view of an average mid-west family.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Confused

Why is the ebook more then the actual book????????? An actual book I can pass around to multiple friends for unlimited time and then sell/donate/use to make a fire. The ebook is worthless after reading it. Makes me regret my nook purchase.

3 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

The Corrections

Jayln Havill
The book, "The Corrections", tragicomedy novel written by Jonathan Franzen, scrutinizes the way of society while telling a story of a mother trying to get her broken family together again. In this novel, Franzen uses his characters Enid, Alfred and their children Gary, Chip, and Denise as "puppets" to get many different points across in this novel. Franzen lays the pretensions, greed, self-deceptions, insecurities and folly of the Lamberts, and the greater culture, as he tells of how they believe the quick-fix comforts and profitability of today's technology based world, and avoid all accountability for himself or herself or a neighbor. Franzen gets very political in this novel and yet tells a good, interesting story.
Franzen uses very interesting style, going from flashbacks to the present to help identify meaning in the present. For example in the first part of the book, he constantly goes back in Chip's past and retells situations so we are better able to understand the situation going on in the present. What is also interesting about his style is that he is telling a story of a broken family while still getting a political point across. What is also interesting in Franzen's writing is how he foreshadows. For example: when Chip and Melissa go to pick up drugs from a high school friend, there is a sticker that reminds him of the "Midland Pacific Lines" logo, where later in the novel, we learn that his father used to work for Midland Pacific Lines. It is just interesting how he ties in all of those little details to make the novel even more interesting.
Each character has a different story to learn from. Gary, who is a very unhappy, paranoid businessman doesn't want to admit that he is like his father, who is clinically depressed. He tries to take antidepressants to steer away of having to admit he is depressed. But in the end, he does end up like his father. Also, Chip, who has enough problems to cover his whole family, we learn that you just can't keep running away from your problems, it results in things just getting worse.
There are many different themes that you can receive from this book. You get the message that there is always hope. We get this message because throughout the whole book, we are told of how the Lamberts' lives just aren't the best, but yet Franzen still shows a glimmer of hope. Like when Enid says there is a "strange yearning sense of possibility". It seems like each character has a different story to learn from. Gary, who is a very unhappy, paranoid businessman doesn't want to admit that he is like his father, who is clinically depressed. He tries to take antidepressants to steer away of having to admit he is depressed. But in the end, he does end up like his father. Also, Chip, who has enough problems to cover his whole family, we learn that you just can't keep running away from your problems, it results in things just getting worse.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a challenge. You should probably be good at your economic skills and have an open mind while reading "The Corrections". This book can get complicated to read with all of the flashbacks Franzen writes, but as long as you take the time to read it slowly, you won't be disappointed.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Life doesn't always have plot

To me this book was less about the plot and more about the struggles the characters face in going through their lives. It's not necessarily the best book I've read, but once I began this novel and understood the backrounds of each character and their personalities 'which the author goes into great detail describing' it became easier to accept that the plot drags on into nothingness 'sort of'. because life doesn't always have a plot or moral like the fairy tales of our childhood, it's just lived and the experiences are just experienced, and yet the characters grow and change and go through real emotions with everything. It's a good novel to read if you're willing to take a chance to understand how the characters progression and changes through the novel form the story.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

I would like to hear some recommendations from those who have negatively reviewed this book. Really.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

Franzen has the unique gift of creating characters that are so outrageously diverse and spellbinding. He, like John Irving, Anne Tyler and John Steinbeck, draw the reader right into his characters' lives and when the last chapter is read, you're sorry to see it go. Outstanding!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

VERY SMART BOOK

i don't understand how people could give the book one star. even if the content offended or was, at least, not interesting, it was still brilliantly written in terms of mechanics. funny, sad, and engaging, it kept me up past my bedtime for a few nights. totally good book

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ignore Idiots who Trash This Book

I was so shocked to read the harsh criticism from other readers that I felt compelled to disclose my view. This book is an absolute gem. No need for me to expatiate. Read this book. I'm convinced that there was some movement afoot among Oprah lovers to bash this book as retaliation over the author's snub of the cheesy talk-show personality.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I'm Confused !!

I bought this book without hesitation after Mr. Franzen upset Oprah. I figured that anybody willing to tell her to go fly a kite would get my money. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book at all. I found it long, wordy, and not very interesting. In fact, I couldn't even finish it. Yet, many of the reviews here and elsewhere have praised it a great deal so maybe I will take another shot at it down the road. My wife is going to read it and if she thinks it's good, I'll try again for sure. One of the 'standards' I use for basic reading enjoyment is how anxious I am to get back to it. I'll take it with me and read a chapter here, a paragraph there, sit down in the evening and read for awhile, etc. With this book, I went an entire weekend without even an inkling of desire to pick it up. Sorry, Mr. Franzen. Maybe I'm being unfair but I don't think so.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Ignore all reviews that give this less than 2 stars

Ever since Jonathan Franzen spoke out against his book being chosen as an Oprah Book Club Selection, his rating has dropped at an unbelievable rate. Wonder why??? I have been around and read many books in my life and I am 100% serious when I say that you can without a doubt ignore any review below two stars, because it probably came from an angry Oprah fan. This book is incredible!!! It has wonderful writing, the most in-depth characters I've ever had the pleasure to read about, very witty sarcasm, and incredible references to some very obscure but profound events in history. I apologize to anyone offended, but I think that this book was a bad selection for Oprah's club, because it is well beyond what her average viewer wants or understands. It deserved the National Book Award and should go down as one of the best books of the last ten years.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Interesting writing style

Very good book. Jonathon Frazen has a very interesting writing style. He has a way of capturing the mundane and expressing life

Brilliant & Intense

I loved this book and highly recommend it, however, it will not be for everyone. It is intense, full of detail, and hard to get into at first. Once I was 1/3 of the way into the book, I couldn't put it down, but the first 1/3 was hard to keep going. It is a great story about family dsyfunction that I could relate to in more ways than one.

Would not recommend

This book was rude, crude, and depressing. I didn't finish it and would not recommend to anyone. Our book club reviewed this book and a majority did not care for this book.

Great character study of a modern dysfunctional family.

What happens to a family when the matriarch makes her husband the scapegoat for her unhappiness? Her husband retreats and she drives her children away. And her children in turn manifest their own frstrations in varied ways, trying always to correct for the imperfections and mistakes of themselves and their parents. By turns humorous and tragic, I laughed and winced at Franzen's excellent character studies of all members of a dysfunctional, modern family. These characters will evoke recognition of someone in your own family, or someone you know, and you will remeber them long after you finish the book.

JONATHAN FRANZEN'S FREEDOM IS A GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL

In 2001, Jonathan Franzen published The Corrections, which garnered numerous awards and nominations. The novel was also one of the best sellers of the decade. While I enjoyed the story and the writing, I didn't quite understand what the buzz was all about.

Freedom, however, is awesome.

Freedom, like The Corrections, is about a dysfunctional American family. The Berglunds are a middle-class family of four living in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the first section of the book, we're given a bird's-eye view of the Berglunds and the suburban neighborhood in which they live. The omniscient narration characterizes the family -- parents Walter and Patty, and children Jessica and Joey -- from the perspective of their neighbors. The novel's ensuing sections are in turn told through the lens of Patty, Walter, Joey and Walter's best friend, Richard. It's not clear to me why Jessica doesn't get a voice.

Throughout the years, we learn many intimate details about the Berglunds -- from Patty and Walter's young courtship, Joey's difficult teen years, to Patty's attraction to Richard. What I struggled with for most of the novel was a pervading dislike for pretty much all the characters. Patty is self-absorbed and depressive, and she's not very nice to her husband, Walter. Walter is an extreme environmentalist whose passivity towards Patty makes him a culpable accomplice in the crimes of their marriage. Richard, who has known Walter and Patty since their college and grad school years, is a perennially dissatisfied rock musician who gets his temporary thrills through casual, promiscuous sex with women. And finally, there's Joey, the Bergland's aloof and arrogant son, whose climatic moment in the novel -- a scene in which he sorts through his own fecal matter in search of a cheap pawn shop ring -- is an evocative metaphor for the consequences of his shady motivations.

Do these sound like the type of people you'd care about? Not really, right? There were moments when I sympathized a bit with the characters, but for most of the book, I wasn't even rooting for them.

So what compelled me to finish the 550-page Freedom? Several reasons. Franzen's writing is nothing short of amazing. The plot is intriguing. The characters, as unlikeable as they are, are fascinating in their dysfunctions. The backdrop of America in the first decade of the millennium is familiar in its recency and relevance to the present.

Still, all that doesn't quite explain my strong draw to Freedom. It took me a few days to understand but today, I finally had a revelation about why this novel is so riveting: the Berglands, with their individual and collective troubles, remind us of our own struggles in fighting the worst parts of ourselves. We may not, for instance, relate to Patty's specific discontents. But we recognize that she's moving down a path guided by her own worst demons. She makes decision that inhibit her self-growth. Patty represents our worse nightmare of ourselves. This is where Freedom taps our empathy as readers and sucks us in.

Freedom is definitely not a cheerful book, but it's a well-crafted one that does offer redemption. Franzen belongs on the throne with other writers who have written The Great American Novel

Boring stuff

This book was so long and so boring. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against long books if they are interesting but this one wasn't. The characters are not likeable and their stories are just nothing I found to be entertaining at all. I actually read Freedom before this book and I enjoyed that book. That is why I decided to read this book. Don't waste your time on this one, you will be depressed annoyed and bored and sorry that you bothered.