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Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen Quotes

Novelist

American contemporary novelist, known for his profound social insight and unique literary style. His works include 'The Corrections' and 'Freedom'.

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All Ifs Writing Franzen People Way World Book Jonathan Franzen Fiction Self Thinking Kind Novel Knows Love Persons Problem Reading Said Seems

Famous Jonathan Franzen Quotes

“I think we live in an era of problems that, if you step back and look at them globally, can't be solved. One response to that is, "Oh well, it's all hopeless. The natural world is getting wrecked, birds are disappearing, the planet is warming and so anything we might do on a smaller scale is meaningless."”

Ifs Thinking World Wells Looks Problem Might Natural Steps Planets Bird Response Disappear Scales Eras Hopeless Meaningless Natural World Oh Well

Author:Jonathan Franzen

“The problem was money and the indignities of life without it. Every stroller, cell phone, Yankees cap, and SUV he saw was a torment. He wasn't covetous, he wasn't envious. But without money he was hardly a man.”

Men Problem Saws Phones Cells Torment Yankees Caps Cell Phone Envious Indignity Suvs Strollers

Book:The Corrections: A Novel

Source: The Corrections: A Novel

“Being dead's only a problem if you know you're dead, which you never do because you're dead!”

Ifs Knows Problem Corrections

Book:The Corrections: A Novel

Source: The Corrections: A Novel

“Fiction is a solution, the best solution, to the problem of existential solitude.”

Problem Fiction Solitude Solutions Existential

Book:Farther Away: Essays

Source: Farther Away: Essays

“The problem with making a virtual world of oneself is akin to the problem with projecting ourselves onto a cyberworld: there’s no end of virtual spaces in which to seek stimulation, but their very endlessness, the perpetual stimulation without satisfaction, becomes imprisoning.”

World Ends Problem Space Oneself Satisfaction Perpetual Stimulation Virtual World

Book:Farther Away: Essays

Source: Farther Away: Essays

“When you stay in your room and rage or sneer or shrug your shoulders, as I did for many years, the world and its problems are impossibly daunting. But when you go out and put yourself in real relation to real people, or even just real animals, there’s a very real danger that you might end up loving some of them. And who knows what might happen to you then?”

People Knows World Years Real Ends Problem Might Happens Animal Rooms Danger Relation Rage Shoulders Your Room Sneer

Author:Jonathan Franzen

“Expecting a novel to bear the weight of our whole disturbed society—to help solve our contemporary problems—seems to me a peculiarly American delusion. To write sentences of such authenticity that refuge can be taken in them: isn't this enough? Isn't it a lot?”

Writing Enough Whole Helping Problem Seems Novel Taken Bears Weight Solve Sentences Contemporary Authenticity Delusion Expecting Refuge Disturbed

Book:How to Be Alone: Essays

Source: How to Be Alone: Essays

About the Author

Born: August 17, 1959
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 215

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Books & Sources

The Corrections: A NovelRelated source material

PurityRelated source material

How to Be Alone: EssaysRelated source material

Freedom: A NovelRelated source material

The correctionsRelated source material

FreedomRelated source material

The Discomfort Zone: A Personal HistoryRelated source material

CrossroadsRelated source material

Farther Away: EssaysRelated source material

Farther AwayRelated source material

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