At Booth Susan Lerner has A Conversation with Jonathan Franzen.
At least one interesting reveal -- less about him than about authentication-processes at social media sites:
Interesting also that he doesn't see himself as a polarizing figure -- and says:
In any case, good to see him not shy away from some Jennifer Weiner-commentary.
At least one interesting reveal -- less about him than about authentication-processes at social media sites:
It's tedious every six months to have to send a photograph of myself holding my passport in order to get Twitter to take down the latest impersonator of me.(Though of course it's also interesting to learn that he's aware of impersonators -- and can be bothered (or, apparently, is so bothered that he's willing) to go through this absurd trouble to silence them. But also: who in his right mind would send Twitter a picture with their passport ? Maybe holding up their social security card in their other hand ?)
Interesting also that he doesn't see himself as a polarizing figure -- and says:
If I am indeed a polarizing figure here, it is certainly true that I am not a polarizing figure in Europe. [...] People don't ask me that question in France or Germany, so something weird is going on here.Of course, it would be helpful differentiating between person and work -- though surely it's both the case Franzen is a polarizing figure (separate from his work), and that his work itself is polarizing.
In any case, good to see him not shy away from some Jennifer Weiner-commentary.