From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

Purity

Jonathan Franzen

Start date: June 15, 2016

Finish date: July 1, 2016

Discussion: Reading List

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 428 topics — 16,892 comments total

Reading List

* The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
By Lynn · 1 post · 41 views

last updated Jun 20, 2025 08:37AM

Circe - discussion with spoilers
By Jane · 17 posts · 23 views

last updated Sep 06, 2025 04:48PM

showing 7 of 7 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Nov 26, 2015 Katie Kenig rated it it was ok

Shelves: general-fiction

“There’s the imperative to keep secrets, and the imperative to have them known. How do you know that you’re a person, distinct from other people? By keeping certain things to yourself.”

Conversations I have had about this book:

Before deciding to read it:

Friend: "Oh, you like Ian McEwan, you must love Jonathan Franzen!"

Me: "Actually, I've never read him."

Friend: "Oh, but you have to!! He's an important modern author! His work is so relevant and... important!"

Me: muttergrumblemutter Uh huh, okay.

^^ ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 17, 2015 Cdrueallen rated it liked it

If Franzen is, as Jason Pettus https://www.goodreads.com/jasonpettus says, the Sinclair Lewis of our day... " you can strongly argue that (Lewis) was the Jonathan Franzen of his times, a critically adored author (the first American writer in history to win the Nobel Prize, for example) who nonetheless heavily employed the pop culture and slang of his day in order to create devastating indictments against the consumerism, celebrity worship and herd mentality surrounding him, eaten up in the milli If Franzen is, as Jason Pettus https://www.goodreads.com/jasonpettus says, the Sinclair Lewis of our day... " you can strongly argue that (Lewis) was the Jonathan Franzen of his times, a critically adored author (the first American writer in history to win the Nobel Prize, for example) who nonetheless heavily employed the pop culture and slang of his day in order to create devastating indictments against the consumerism, celebrity worship and herd mentality surrounding him, eaten up in the millions by the very people most guilty of the behavior, because they're able to recognize in these indictments every single person they know besides themselves" then the question about PURITY is whether it's Franzen's ELMER GANTRY or his DODSWORTH.

Both Franzen and Lewis published a brilliant early novel (THE CORRECTIONS, BABBIT) that was tinged with just the right amount of surrealism, and depended for much of its impact on the ability of the authors to show us their male characters both through their own inner narratives and the skeptical eye of their spouses. These novels were followed by bigger and less brilliant novels, in which the both authors gradually hardened their perspective until it completely supported the patriarchal point of view. This by no coincidence was accompanied the increase in ranting, the decrease in comedy, and a general artery-hardening that sadly afflicted Lewis's DODSWORTH. But before DODSWORTH came ELMER GANTRY, another brilliant novel and a moving and disturbing portrait of the the transformation of a pleasure-loving young man into a ruthless demagogue. Much like the transformation in PURITY of young romantic Andreas Wolf into a murderous sex-addicted cult leader. Though not as human or perversely appealing as Elmer Gantry, Andreas provides the life force for PURITY. Unfortunately, PURITY spends many of its pages on its equivalent to Sam Dodsworth, Tom Aberant, whose voice gradually blends with the author's in making the male case in a bad marriages to the unfortunate reader, who might be unpleasantly surprised to find themselves in the role of divorce-court judge. So though PURITY is far more irritating and less wonderful than ELMER GANTRY, it hasn't quite been taken over, as DODSWORTH was, by the oblivious perspective of a late-middle-aged man who is used to getting his own way and is never going to let us hear the end of it when he doesn't.

One (at least this one) can only hope that Franzen doesn't let the sex-war defeats and disappointments of his personal life seep into his fiction the way Lewis did. Both writers are two of my great favorites, and while there's no hope for Lewis now, I can still look forward to the possibility of another amusing, moving, and wonderful Franzen novel. ...more

Like · see review

Jul 26, 2016 Kathy rated it really liked it

As always, with Franzen, much to think about. I think this is his best book, but then one of the settings is a place I used to live. It's all about secrets - little ones, big ones, and international ones -and how it's not the truth that shapes us, but our perception of it. Thanks, Jonathan Franzen, for the best book I've read this year. ...more

1 like · Like · see review