Jonathan Franzen author photo
Image via 维基共享资源, 授权协议 CC BY 3.0.

Jonathan Franzen

出生: August 17, 1959 – Western Springs, Illinois, United States

Jonathan Franzen is an American novelist and essayist whose work examines family dynamics, moral conflict, environmental concern, and contemporary American society. He is best known for The Corrections, which won the 2001 National Book Award, as well as Freedom and Purity, novels that helped establish him as a major literary voice.

传记与作者历程

Jonathan Franzen was born on August 17, 1959, in Western Springs, Illinois, and grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb that would leave a lasting mark on his sense of Midwestern family life. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1981 with high honors in German and a minor in English, then studied at Berlin’s Freie Universität as a Fulbright fellow. Back in the United States, he committed himself to fiction with an almost monastic routine, writing daily while supporting himself in part through research work tied to seismology, an experience that later fed directly into his second novel, Strong Motion. ((https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jonathan-Franzen?utm_source=openai))

展开更多

名言

quote
The writer’s life is a life of revisions, and I came to think that what needed revision were my own earlier books
-The Art of Fiction No. 207
quote
Failure, failure, failure is mostly what happens. But the failures start adding up to possibilities if you wait long enough
-The Rumpus One-Off Book Club Interviews Jonathan Franzen
quote
I miss the failure
-Jonathan Franzen talks with David Remnick
quote
The only honest way to do that is by leaving stuff out, not by making stuff up
-Jonathan Franzen on Memory and Memoir
quote
Every time I try to start a novel I feel like I’ve never written one before
-Modern life has become extremely distracting
quote
Distraction pours through every portal, especially through the internet
-Modern life has become extremely distracting
quote
I take a certain amount of pride in not being a professional novelist, in apparently being a lifelong amateur
-I must be near the end of my career – people are starting to approve
quote
Why do birds matter to me? Oh, because I love them
-Jonathan Franzen Talks Birds

发现更多

The Architecture of Defiance
学习计划

The Architecture of Defiance

This curriculum is essential for those seeking to understand how high-stakes philosophy translates into lived resistance and psychological resilience. It is ideal for students of literature, political activists, and anyone grappling with the burden of personal freedom in a post-truth world.

1 h 36 m4 章节
Adult fiction with intimacy
学习计划

Adult fiction with intimacy

This learning plan is designed for adult readers seeking to deepen their understanding and appreciation of intimate fiction beyond surface-level entertainment. Whether you're a romance enthusiast wanting to explore more complex narratives, a book club member seeking thoughtful discussion material, or simply curious about why passionate fiction has become a dominant literary force, this structured approach guides you through the genre's most influential works and themes.

3 h 47 m3 章节
Freud, Jung & Fyodor readings
学习计划

Freud, Jung & Fyodor readings

This learning plan bridges depth psychology and existential literature, offering profound insights into human consciousness and behavior. It's ideal for therapists, philosophers, literature enthusiasts, and anyone seeking deep self-understanding through the intersection of psychoanalytic theory and existential thought. The synthesis of Freud, Jung, and Dostoevsky provides a comprehensive foundation for exploring the hidden dimensions of the psyche and confronting life's fundamental questions.

4 h 42 m4 章节
Existentialism
学习计划

Existentialism

This plan provides a roadmap for navigating the complexities of modern existence by engaging with the world's most influential thinkers. It is ideal for anyone seeking to build a resilient personal philosophy and find clarity in their own freedom and ethical choices.

5 h 55 m4 章节
Classic literature
学习计划

Classic literature

Classic literature forms the foundation of modern storytelling and continues to offer unparalleled insights into human nature, society, and morality. This learning plan is ideal for readers who want to move beyond surface-level reading, building the analytical skills and cultural literacy to engage deeply with the world's most influential literary works across British, Russian, and modernist traditions.

4 h 16 m5 章节
The Oxford Modernist Syllabus
学习计划

The Oxford Modernist Syllabus

This syllabus is essential for students and literature enthusiasts seeking to bridge the gap between classical modernism and contemporary global voices. It provides the academic rigor of Oxford-style analysis while broadening the scope of what constitutes the modern English canon.

1 h 12 m3 章节
Compare and explore 8 short novels.
学习计划

Compare and explore 8 short novels.

This plan is essential for readers looking to move beyond surface-level plots and engage with literature at a professional analytical level. It is ideal for students, aspiring writers, and bibliophiles who want to master the art of the short novel while exploring existential and psychological themes.

4 h 33 m4 章节
The Burden of Choice
学习计划

The Burden of Choice

This plan is essential for those navigating the complexities of modern ethics and the weight of individual responsibility. It is ideal for students of philosophy, psychology, or literature seeking to understand the intersection of inherited legacy and personal autonomy.

1 h 12 m3 章节

社区声音

"Jonathan Franzen: Great American Novelist"

TIME

"Jonathan Franzen has a real gift for getting people into a tizzy"

The New Yorker

"Purity Tyler — heroine of the latest novel confirming that Jonathan Franzen is among this country’s best living writers — goes by the nickname Pip"

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Reading Jonathan Franzen on form is like watching a baseball star toss a ball"

The Guardian

"Jonathan Franzen has always been one for capturing the zeitgeist"

The Independent

"Nobody much expects a Great American Novel to materialise – Jonathan Franzen has gone and written two"

The Independent

"Jonathan Franzen’s ‘melancholy realism’ takes the failure of our idealism as its primary subject"

The Guardian

关于此页面的常见问题

由哥伦比亚大学校友在旧金山创建

BeFreed 汇聚了全球超过 1,000,000 求知若渴的学习者

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star
1.5K Ratings4.7
开启你的学习之旅,就是现在