Freedom:ANovel

PattyandWalterBerglundwerethenewpioneersofoldSt.Paul—thegentrifiers,thehands-onparents,theavant-gardeoftheWholeFoodsgeneration.Pattywastheidealsortofneighbor,whocouldtellyouwheretorecycleyourbatteriesandhowtogetthelocalcopstoactuallydotheirjob.ShewasanenviablyperfectmotherandthewifeofWalter’sdreams.TogetherwithWalter—environmentallawyer,commutercyclist,totalfamilyman—shewasdoinghersmallparttobuildabetterworld.Butnow,inthenewmillennium,theBerglundshavebecomeamystery.WhyhastheirteenagesonmovedinwiththeaggressivelyRepublicanfamilynextdoor?WhyhasWaltertakenajobworkingwithBigCoal?WhatexactlyisRichardKatz—outrérockerandWalter’scollegebestfriendandrival—stilldoinginthepicture?Mostofall,whathashappenedtoPatty?WhyhasthebrightstarofBarrierStreetbecome“averydifferentkindofneighbor,”animplacableFurycomingunhingedbeforethestreet’sattentiveeyes?InhisfirstnovelsinceTheCorrections,JonathanFranzenhasgivenusanepicofcontemporaryloveandmarriage.Freedomcomicallyandtragicallycapturesthetemptationsandburdensofliberty:thethrillsofteenagelust,theshakencompromisesofmiddleage,thewagesofsuburbansprawl,theheavyweightofempire.InchartingthemistakesandjoysofFreedom’scharactersastheystruggletolearnhowtoliveinanevermoreconfusingworld,Franzenhasproducedanindelibleanddeeplymovingportraitofourtime.