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Cover of How to Be Alone

Literary Fiction · 2007 · PG

How to Be Alone

by Jonathan Franzen

Franzen's essays on solitude, literature, and American culture.

Musings on postmodern America by the National Book Award–winning author: "Why be alone? For the pleasure of reading books such as this." — Entertainment Weekly How to Be Alone is a powerful collection of nonfiction by the New York Times–bestselling author of novels including The Corrections, Freedom, and Crossroads. While the essays range in subject matter from the sex-advice industry to the way a supermax prison works, each one wrestles with the essential themes of Jonathan Franzen's writing: the erosion of civil life and private dignity; and the hidden persistence of loneliness in postmodern

For10+GenreLiterary FictionLength307 pagesRead time~8 hours

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

None

Essays discuss death and illness

Language

Barely any

Mild language

Sexual Content

None

No sexual content

Substance Use

None

No substance use

Emotional Intensity

Barely any

Themes of solitude, family, and the role of literature in society

What this book is about

Franzen's 2002 essay collection includes pieces on his father's Alzheimer's disease, the state of the novel, and American society. Clean and literary. For older teens and adults.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

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