This book devastated me...

My review of Jonathan Franzen's 2001 novel "The Corrections". This postmodern masterpiece was the winner of the National Book Award and a finalist for the Pulitzer prize. I discuss my thoughts, the novels themes, and some of the controversy surrounding the author's perception in popular culture.
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TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 - Intro
00:20 - Narrative Style
03:48 - Themes
4:30 - Conclusion
5:32 - Misc. thoughts
9:20 - Outro
Sources:
VOX article: www.vox.com/cu...
Interview: • Jonathan Franzen on Mi...

[@allthatanybodyknows]

was so glad to see another video from this channel! you have such a knack for compelling art criticism

[@corydon.]

@@allthatanybodyknows Thank you so much, that really means a lot!! Had to take a little break but I’ve got at least two more videos I’m planning to release hopefully soon

[@Manfred-nj8vz]

That's a very nice and sincere discussion of 'The Corrections'. Although I have the book already, I've not read it yet - actually I've read nothing from Franzen whatsoever, but in my country, Greece, he is very popular and beloved both from the public and critics as well. Still I'm not sure if I would read it now, because I'm going to read 'The Sound and the Fury', exactly as you are. A new Greek translation has been just published (the fourth since 1974) and that makes the novel much more interesting in the moment. Two years ago I read 'Absalom, Absalom!' and I was fascinated, I loved that book, although it was a tough read to be sure. I had to read the first chapter 4 or 5 times plus watching YT videos in order to figure out what's going on. But as I read forward I understood better what I've read previously. It's a book that works retrospective (the same goes for 'The Sound and the Fury', because the narrative style and architecture are very similar). As soon as you've read 'Absalom, Absalom!' as a whole, go back and read again that first chapter - you'll realise that you understand every bit of it! Have you ever heard or maybe read anything by Nikos Kazantzakis? He's an author I would definitely recommend to you ('Christ Recrucified', 'The Last Temptation of Christ', 'The Fratricides', 'Zorba the Greek', ' The Odyssey, a modern sequel' etc.). I'm curious to watch your thoughts on Faulkner. Greetings from Greece!

[@corydon.]

@@Manfred-nj8vz Thank you! I’m currently reading through last section of The Sound and the Fury and I’m having a very similar experience to your Absalom, Absalom reading. I’m refraining from looking anything up until I’m done with the book, and just trying to power through to the end to see if things are illuminated later on and that is actually working way better than I thought it would. I haven’t checked out that author yet, but he sounds intriguing especially if The Last Temptation of Christ was the book that inspired the Scorsese film so I’ll definitely check him out. Thanks for watching!

[@Manfred-nj8vz]

@@corydon. Great! I'm really excited to start reading 'The Sound and the Fury' as soon as possible. Yes, that's the author who inspired Scorsese on producing that film. There is an interesting discussion on YT by Scorsese himself with the title: 'Martin Scorsese on The Last Temptation of Christ [deutsch untertitelt]' and there is also a very nice discussion of the novel on the channel 'Banned Book Club Podcast', which may you find interesting. Greetings!

[@Manfred-nj8vz]

@@corydon. Hey, hello again! I'm currently reading 'The Sound and the Fury' and I am about to start the fourth chapter. The book is difficult; way more difficult and complex that 'As I lay dying' and even 'Absalom, Absalom!'. And for that matter I wouldn't be able at all to figure out what's going on without the 'Glossary and Commentary' written by Stephen M. Ross and Noel Polk, which I'm sure you can find easily (I was able to purchase it here in Vienna). If you haven't heard about it yet I cannot recommend enough indeed. The understanding that this book offers to us readers of 'The Sound and the Fury' is beyond praise. So, maybe you want to check that out. Greetings!

[@corydon.]

@@Manfred-nj8vz Hey! I recently finished The Sound and the Fury and I absolutely loved it. I was actually surprised by how much I had comprehended by the end of it. In particular I think the last two chapters helped solidify what I had thought was happening in the earlier two. I’m tempted to re-read it with the context I have now, and I’ll have to check out that commentary, thanks!

[@Manfred-nj8vz]

@@corydon. That's great to hear! I've also enjoyed reading this novel; Faulkner is really something very special. I'm sure that you'll love 'Absalom, Absalom!' as well, which I think is much more easy than this one, although most people agree that it's his most difficult novel. Apart from the commentary I also recommend the Yale lectures on the 'Sound and the Fury', which you can find pretty easily on YT. Professor Wai Chee Dimock offers great insights into every chapter of the novel and in particular its very ending, which I find fascinating and extremely helpful. I'm looking forward to your Faulkner video!

[@leopercara3477]

It's because he's not that good of a writer. I understand you liked it, but that doesn't make it good. Have you read Wellness by Nathan Hill? It's like Franzen, but better. Check it out. I like Crossroads by him. I think he succeeds in making it a sophisticated soap opera. It's no Gilmore Girls, but it's pretty good.

[@corydon.]

@@leopercara3477 I could say, on the flip side of that, that not liking his writing doesn’t make him a bad writer. I’d be curious to know why you feel that way. Haven’t read Wellness but it sounds cool, I’ll give it a shot! Thanks for the rec. Crossroads is definitely the next-most appealing to me from his catalogue so I’m looking forward to checking it out.

[@leopercara3477]

@@corydon. He's bad because his books are overwritten and boring. And if you don't believe me, read him outloud to someone. Crossroads is better because he took that need to be so self-indulgent a thoudand notches down. But if you love him you love him. And yeah, maybe I'm completely wrong and he's amazing. What do I know?

[@corydon.]

@@leopercara3477 I could understand the “overwritten” argument, although I personally thought his word choices brought a lot of specificity and/or humor, and I found every page to be entertaining. Different strokes, but I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts!