12 Comments
Sep 28Liked by Kerry Winfrey

This is DEEPLY entertaining and I'm so glad you wrote it, because I like and love myself too much to read a Franzen book but enjoyed this immensely

Expand full comment
author

thank you! honestly I'm having a great time, I recommend this book!!

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by Kerry Winfrey

I was never going to read this book, but I love reading about you reading it--I think that says you're pretty special.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you!!

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by Kerry Winfrey

I immediately thought of you when I saw he was already writing about feces on page 1. I knew we were all in for a good time. Am enjoying the book and love this post! 1. I think Rick is definitely going to make a move on Becky (and Frances. Hey maybe even Marion too!). 2. I think Judson represents the reader. We are all Judson Lol. 3. The Marion chapter really packed a punch, that creepy Santa stuff was unsettling! 4. Does Franzen have kids? Doing a quick google search it didn't seem like it. I wonder what he would be like as a Dad. I've always had a hard time relating to the way he writes parent/child relationships (have read The Corrections and Freedom). When Becky gets the inheritance it seemed so glaringly obvious to me that they should all split it evenly amongst the kids. Even with the rationales given, how could she even consider keeping it all to herself! Yikes.

Expand full comment
author

His parent/child relationships are SO filled with resentment/embarrassment! I read a lot of advice columns and people write in frequently with inheritance questions. I found myself thinking, “what would Dear Prudence say about this?”

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by Kerry Winfrey

THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR!

Expand full comment

The Key to all Mythologies is also the title of Casaubon's alleged magnum opus in MIDDLEMARCH!

Expand full comment
author

I saw this online but didn't mention it because I haven't read Middlemarch (I know!! A huge blindspot for me!) and could not personally confirm. So now I definitely need to read Middlemarch so I can fully understand all Franzen connections...Franzen Fall is so time intensive!

Expand full comment

My best friend made me binge the entire BBC miniseries in a night. We were young and foolish then.

Expand full comment

How many times did Franzen work over that semen sentence before deciding the thing to do was pile up the words "of it in her"?

Expand full comment
author

I think he should've shaken that sentence a few more times, at least.

Expand full comment