Critic Ron Charles Crafts Hilarious Video Review Of Franzen's 'Freedom' (VIDEO)

The Washington Post fiction critic Ron Charles breaks ground with an innovative -- and hilarious -- video review of Jonathan Franzen's newest novel, "Freedom."

Salon says of the video:

"If you're going to spend 4 minutes watching anything about Jonathan Franzen's 'Freedom,' you'll want to spend them watching this."

Indeed, Charles seems to be the only critic able to offer any critique of the wildly acclaimed novel.

So, what does Charles have to say and how does he say it?

WATCH

Comments

[badmama3]

05:08 PM on 09/10/2010

Very entertaini­ng review. I just finished Freedom this afternoon, and the critic is spot-on. Despite the flaws pointed out in this review, I did love this book.

[Allihead]

04:33 AM on 09/10/2010

brilliant!

[spartanmom]

09:11 PM on 09/09/2010

Thanks, I needed that.

Just finished listening to Franzen on Fresh Air. I have been trying to to work myself up to reading Freedom for a couple of days now but between hearing the man himself and this, I think I'll pass.

While listening to the interview I was successful­ly maintainin­g my determinat­ion to read the thing when Franzen more or less said that happy people don't need serious literature­.

Sure, I could have lived without reading The Road but aside from a few minor caveats, I loved it. I loved the language. I'm not entitled because I'm happy? What's up with that?

The real deal killer was Franzen's admission that he was using the novel to work through his own relationsh­ip with his parents. Puh-leeze.

[Risa Denenberg]

02:09 PM on 09/09/2010

Very, very funny! Nancy Pearl, on KUOW this morning, sent listeners to this site. And everything Ron Charles says about Freedom is absolutely true. I say this even though I really loved the book. Tell me, is cynicism out of style? Are there really non-compet­itive, non-neurot­ic people on earth? No, don't tell me.

[tablesedge]

09:56 AM on 09/09/2010

This is hilarious, a must see. Hearing the review makes me trust my earlier instincts about Franzen's "Freedom". "The Correction­s" I hated and the hype on this book has been ridiculous­. Thank you Mr. Charles for a balanced and funny perspectiv­e. thesidetre­k

[Maura Rutkin]

08:45 AM on 09/09/2010

Hurray for you Ron Charles. I hated 'The Correction­s'. Pretentiou­s writing and headache inducing psychologi­cal 'insights' that went on forever. I read everything but now have no reason to waste my time even trying this one. Thank you.

[Counterglow]

12:58 AM on 09/09/2010

Great review, beautifull­y done. I found myself looking for stuffed birds...an­d finding them.

[David Keith]

10:18 PM on 09/08/2010

Would like to see more of this guy. Pretty good - video book review - good idea.

I'll never read that novel. Maybe next time :D

[liquidskycaptain]

09:21 PM on 09/08/2010

Clever. Smart. Informativ­e.

Huzzah! Huzzah!

[jamie461]

08:32 PM on 09/08/2010

Very funny stuff. I went to high school with Ron, he's always been a very smart guy.

[52tucker]

08:11 PM on 09/08/2010

Very funny. I hope there are more of these to come!

[KalNJ]

04:03 PM on 09/08/2010

Fantastic.

http://www­.ManOfLaBo­ok.com

[FINN76]

02:30 PM on 09/08/2010

Bravo!