Author Topic: Evilbore Book Club Bro-Down: J. Franzen's "Freedom" (Read 1152 times)

GilloD · « **on:** August 19, 2010, 09:28:20 PM »

I have honestly not been as excited for a book as I am for Freedom. The Times has given it two ebullient reviews. Is there any interest in book clubbin' it up when it's out on the 31st? This latest review has me major psyched.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/books/review/Tanenhaus-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:38:22 AM »

You have my axe.

Raban · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2010, 04:08:07 AM »

And my sword.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Real Talk: The Corrections is my favorite book.

[close]

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:57:59 AM »

Not excited.

GilloD · « **Reply #4 on:** August 20, 2010, 11:40:29 AM »

Quote from: mojovonio on August 20, 2010, 07:25:10 AM

Holy fuck, that reads like a Pitchfork review.

Holy fuck, that sounds like an uninformed, knee-jerk comment!

Anyway, maybe we do a monthly book club thing? Freedom for September and we can take a vote for October. I'll mark one for Imperial Bedroom

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:16:09 PM »

I don't do hardcovers and I don't have a e-reader yet, sorry.

I really want to read The Corrections, though.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:18:00 PM »

My next book is The Windup Girl, based off Patel's recommendation. I pretty much don't read anything with super hype behind it, hence the fact that I just now finished The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Freedom sounds like another one of those books that literary folks will hype up and pat themselves on the back about.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:24:41 PM »

I just read Kavalier and Clay a couple of months ago, too.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:27:12 PM »

Wait, I just read

Quote

Franzen knows that college freshmen are today called “first years,”

They are? When the fuck did this happen?

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:29:55 PM »

Quote from: CajoleJuice on August 20, 2010, 12:24:41 PM

I just read Kavalier and Clay a couple of months ago, too.

It was pretty awesome. I had my reservations, especially since I read The Yiddish Policemen's Union first. I like Chabon, but the same weaknesses in Yiddish Policemen's Union are in Kavalier and Clay (hit-and-miss dialogue, stretches the plausibility of character actions to move the plot along). That said, Kavalier and Clay is just a fantastic, sprawling epic and I have no idea why it's not a feature yet. The structure is very friendly to a film adaptation.

In general, I tend to shy from the overhyped book stuff. It almost always disappoints. Still, I rather people get rabid about Franzen than some iPhone farting app.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2010, 12:35:01 PM »

Yeah, it was fucking fantastic. I absolutely loved it. I guess I'm kinda in the opposite boat of you at the moment as it made me want to read MORE hyped stuff since I enjoyed it so much. It's the only Chabon I've read though. And it's not like I've read much other hyped contemporary stuff, either. So I'll see if I get jaded soon enough.

And yep, it'd be a great movie. An interesting question would be who you'd want to do it. Hmmm.

Barry Egan · « **Reply #11 on:** August 20, 2010, 01:09:23 PM »

I'd like to read this (Freedom) but I'm currently too broke to afford a new book! Maybe I'll pick up The Corrections from the library for some lateral discussion.

Himu · « **Reply #12 on:** August 20, 2010, 02:32:32 PM »

What if the overhyped book is by a great author?

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2010, 02:34:33 PM »

Quote from: CajoleJuice on August 20, 2010, 12:35:01 PM

Yeah, it was fucking fantastic. I absolutely loved it. I guess I'm kinda in the opposite boat of you at the moment as it made me want to read MORE hyped stuff since I enjoyed it so much. It's the only Chabon I've read though. And it's not like I've read much other hyped contemporary stuff, either. So I'll see if I get jaded soon enough.

And yep, it'd be a great movie. An interesting question would be who you'd want to do it. Hmmm.

I'd like to see a guy like David Fincher tackle it. It's the kind sprawling epic that could redeem him for his Forrest Gump Lite shenanigans. It would make an excellent film and the likelihood is that you wouldn't have to alter the book so much as so as pick the material you would exclude from a film adaptation.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union was funny, because when I read it, I felt like it was a treatment for a Coen Bros. flick... so when they nabbed the rights, I felt it was possibly the most perfect pairing of artists ever.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2010, 02:46:09 PM »

I immediately thought of the Coen Brothers when I asked myself that question, but maybe that's just because they are so awesome. But there's also that big Jewish element in K&C and I thought they handled that so well in A Serious Man. When is Yiddish Policemen's Union supposed to come out?

I'd be cool with Fincher, but now it seems like he's going to be wrapped up with "The Girl With..." movies for a while. And add FACEBOOK MOVIE to his list of shenanigans that he needs to make up for.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2010, 03:00:43 PM »

I think Kavalier and Clay is too light-hearted in parts and sprawling for the Coen Bros. They seem to do best when the narratives are focused and only juggle a couple of characters in a specific location.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2010, 03:08:43 PM »

I would think the light-heartedness would be more of a problem for Fincher. Shit, that's really my only reservation with him.

Diunx · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2010, 07:14:37 PM »

Does this book have drawings?

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2010, 01:09:11 AM »

I've been reading a bunch of design and art theory/history books

GilloD · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2010, 02:38:14 AM »

I;ll make a more general book club thread- If you're not interested in doing Franzen's 'Freedom' for September, please post elsewhere!

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #20 on:** August 21, 2010, 02:41:37 AM »

why would anyone want to read a jonathan franzen book, seriously now. /obnoxious jerk mode

SantaC · « **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2010, 06:22:59 AM »

johan franzen is a great player

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Author Topic: Evilbore Book Club Bro-Down: J. Franzen's "Freedom" (Read 1152 times)