JonathanFranzen’sgiftforweddingdepthandvividnessofcharacterwithbreadthofsocialvisionhasneverbeenmoredazzlinglyevidentthaninCrossroadsIt’sDecember23,1971,andheavyweatherisforecastforChicago.RussHildebrandt,theassociatepastorofaliberalsuburbanchurch,isonthebrinkofbreakingfreeofamarriagehefindsjoyless--unlesshiswife,Marion,whohasherownsecretlife,beatshimtoit.Theireldestchild,Clem,iscominghomefromcollegeonfirewithmoralabsolutism,havingtakenanactionthatwillshatterhisfather.Clem’ssister,Becky,longthesocialqueenofherhigh-schoolclass,hassharplyveeredintothecounterculture,whiletheirbrilliantyoungerbrotherPerry,who’sbeensellingdrugstoseventhgraders,hasresolvedtobeabetterperson.EachoftheHildebrandtsseeksafreedomthateachoftheothersthreatenstocomplicate.JonathanFranzen’snovelsarecelebratedfortheirunforgettablyvividcharactersandfortheirkeen-eyedtakeoncontemporaryAmerica.Now,inCrossroads,Franzenventuresbackintothepastandexploresthehistoryoftwogenerations.Withcharacteristichumorandcomplexity,andwithevengreaterwarmth,heconjuresaworldthatresonatespowerfullywithourown.Atourdeforceofinterwovenperspectivesandsustainedsuspense,itsactionlargelyunfoldingonasinglewinterday,CrossroadsisthestoryofaMidwesternfamilyatapivotalmomentofmoralcrisis.JonathanFranzen’sgiftformeldingthesmallpictureandthebigpicturehasneverbeenmoredazzlinglyevident.
