damopedro's review against another edition
2.0
The last chapter brought it home nicely actually which was a pleasant surprise but most of the time I didn't enjoy this book. I often was wondering why he was telling us these stories.
elpanek's review against another edition
5.0
Franzen's short personal essays first attracted me to his writing, and I still find them much better (more fun, more insightful, more memorable) than The Corrections. The short essay "Centrally Located" is probably my favorite story ever. It was originally published in the New Yorker under the title "Caught," and if I'm not mistaken, he's added some things to this version. Having read that story first, it was great to read these other stories, about his marriage and his college years. They sort of function as sequels or prequels, filling out the characters in the original story. Overall, the collection is a little hit-and-miss, and yes, sometimes Franzen seems overly ornery, snobby, and critical of others (and himself), but still, I think there's enough wit and insight in most of these stories to keep them from being mere nostalgia.
daisyporter's review against another edition
4.0
Five stars for the youth group drama; three for the birdwatching.
natetheworld's review against another edition
3.0
As always, this is not a book report. Rather, it is an opportunity to discuss some ideas that stuck with me while reading “The Discomfort Zone” by Jonathan Franzen.
A Personal History
Looking back on your own life is more than a mere reflection. As you age, it is an opportunity to question major milestones and events. It is a chance to take stock of these experiences both good and bad in an effort to see how they shaped you. As you review, these moments interweave themselves together into the story of you. For those of us who choose creative endeavors, our art is an attempt to make meaning of these moments and share them with the world. They influence everything we write, paint, act, sculpt, sing, and express. By sharing them, we attempt to free ourselves while letting others in to experience our true selves. If we are really good, others will see they are not alone in the joy and moments of tumult in this world. “The Discomfort Zone” by Jonathan Franzen is an attempt to do this. In it, I found an author I could relate to on a personal level; one of my great hopes when consuming art in any form.
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
A Personal History
Looking back on your own life is more than a mere reflection. As you age, it is an opportunity to question major milestones and events. It is a chance to take stock of these experiences both good and bad in an effort to see how they shaped you. As you review, these moments interweave themselves together into the story of you. For those of us who choose creative endeavors, our art is an attempt to make meaning of these moments and share them with the world. They influence everything we write, paint, act, sculpt, sing, and express. By sharing them, we attempt to free ourselves while letting others in to experience our true selves. If we are really good, others will see they are not alone in the joy and moments of tumult in this world. “The Discomfort Zone” by Jonathan Franzen is an attempt to do this. In it, I found an author I could relate to on a personal level; one of my great hopes when consuming art in any form.
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
maryparapluie's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the audiobook, which was read by Franzen himself-- always a selling point. This memoir, of sorts, is divided into six chapters that weave somewhat thematically in and out various parts of Franzen's life. I could imagine some people finding this book narcissistic, but as a fellow introverted nerd from the Midwest, I found his descriptions very familiar. I especially enjoyed his descriptions of Charlie Brown and the Peanuts characters, and his chapter on his experiences with the German language was just great.
dommdy's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. I much prefer his fiction. Also, it just dead ends. I hate that.
mcboak's review against another edition
3.0
I think I imagined more of a sequential retelling of Franzen’s life, but this memoir goes back and forth in time a lot. It includes quite a few people, which makes it easy to get them mixed up. It also covers his thought processes as they relate to what phase of life he was in, much of the time relating it to literature and language. With that, it could get a little dense, but only one portion of the book was heavily geared towards that.