[Freedom], by [[Jonathan Franzen]]

I know a lot of this book by Jonathan Franzen also takes place back east, but i think it is very midwestern in it's sensabilities. anyone agree? i loved the book, btw.

Can't say I've read it yet, but I have his previous book, The Discomfort Zone, on CD. He narrated it, including certain passages in the German, and I was quite pleased. He ~is~ a midwesterner, so maybe why you reacted to it strongly. Eventually, I'll get around to Freedom, but I've got a huge TPR pile at the moment.

I'll wait till it comes out in paperback before I read it, but I thought the midwestern portions of The Corrections were well-done.

The Midwest Booksellers Association considers it "midwestern" at least, as they've listed it as one of their "midwest connections picks." I've heard the book is overwritten, that it doesn't give much room for the reader's imagination to read into implications, etc. Basically, I've heard it lacks any subtlety. Any thoughts?

I tried to read his first book, Twenty-Seventh City, which is set in St. Louis, but never got so far as 100 pages into it. To me it was outre, it seemed too eager to be larger than life. Has anyone else read it?