This book was recommended to me by an ex-girlfriend. I had never really heard of this author before, but after reading this book, I sure wish I had earlier!
He juggles many different things in this book all at once, and does so very capably, I might add! There are wonderful and believable characters with realistic psychology that draws you in and makes you feel like you actually know them personally. There is romance, as well as intellectual dialogue. There are many references to punk music and to trying to protest the simple and stagnant "go with the flow" and "don't rock the boat" mentality that too often dominates our society, and all of it is packaged in a believable manner.
Walter and Patty are happily married with two children, a boy and a girl. They live in a comfortable home in a quiet, suburban setting, and life appears good on so many levels. Things are not always as they seem to be, however, and we begin to learn the background between them, where we meet Richard, an aspiring punk rocker who respects Walter more than anything and anyone. The feeling is mutual, but what Walter does not know is that Patty is greatly attracted to Richard. It is an attraction that does not simply fade away over time, either, as we learn, and will become a source of friction for all three of them, albeit it in very different ways for each.
Walter has always been overtly active politically, and Richard finds this inspiring, but yet somehow inaccessible in practical application. Patty, in the meantime, is nowhere near as political, and in many respects, is a very typical American girl, wanting to raise a family. Yes, even this proves to a source of tension, because Walter is hugely into the issue of addressing the problem of overpopulation, and his own role in starting a family runs in the face of his philosophical convictions.
In the meantime, Joey and Jessica, the son and daughter of Walter and Patty, grow up. Jessica becomes daddy's girl, so to speak, while Joey is the apple of mommy's eye. At least until he essentially separates himself from the family and move out to the next door neighbors, who happen to be rednecks, more or less. Joey takes a much different path, eventually becoming far more financially successful than anyone else in the family circle. But he remains the odd man out, always, and works to exorcise his own demons, struggling to forge a new and ideal identity while trying to escape the limitations of the person he has always been.
There are conflicts and a lot of hurt feelings, but it is ultimately about growing up and growing wiser, learning to accommodate and forgive. It is a book that is relevant on both a political and personal level, and can be both enjoyable and instructive on both capacities.
This book is richly endowed with a little something for everybody, although it also is a book that I strongly suspect that most people probably would not "get", at least not fully. Franzen addresses many issues of our age with characters that take these issues to varying degrees of seriousness. Yet, he does so in a pretty believable, and certainly entertaining, manner. This is a very good read by an author who seems to be increasingly appreciated and in the public eye. It is a long read, and not always an easy read, but well worth it, in the end. Highly recommended!
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