The Corrections

THE CORRECTIONS
by Jonathan Franzen

Award: James Tait Black Winner 2002, National Book Winner 2001

 Nominations: Dublin Finalist 2003, LA Times Finalist 2001, National Book Critics Circle Finalist 2001, NY Times Finalist 2001, Oprah Book Club 2001, PEN/Faulkner Finalist 2002, Pulitzer Finalist 2002

 Dates Read: May 28, 2006 & February 17, 2020

 The Corrections is a difficult read for me because Franzen so skillfully lays bare the brutal details of the human existence. I don't find much about the human experience to celebrate here. I am left to watch a very flawed family muddle through the intricacies of life, making poor decisions along the way and culminating in a disastrous Christmas reunion that collides each of these imperfect humans' needs.

 On the positive side, Franzen is a master narrator of the nuances of relationships, behavior and inner turmoil that just about anyone can relate to and simultaneously made me absolutely terrified of growing old. Well done, sir! Well done. I shall have nightmares for a month of losing my faculties and experiencing my body as a prison.

 On the negative, I find little to admire about any of these characters. While they are simply muddling through like the rest of us, at least others display some sort of kindness and likability that I just didn't find here. I held out hope to the end that they would grow in some way, and arguably, Chip showed the greatest promise towards the end but I honestly couldn't tell if it was actual growth or silent resignation to the trappings of adulthood.

 All in all, this is a worthwhile read and I fully understand the accolades The Corrections drew at the time of its release. I am in awe of Franzen's talent.

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