My favourite book

This is my favourite book of all time.

As of December 2021, Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen is my favourite book of all time. I may be a slow reader but after a decade of consistent reading this has been the best novel I have read.

Reviews elsewhere online:

Totally floored by this book, I read it for two months very slowly. In this book review I try to explain why this book is so important without revealing much of the plot. The plot doesn't capture the power of this book, and knowing just the basics will give you a sense of what to expect. It's so much more than the sum of its parts, I simply cannot convey the experience with words justly. The best I can do is explain on a deeper level what I think this book represents, and I do my best here!

(Just in case anyone disputes whether I really mean that this is my all-time favourite book [sounds clickbaity], you can see on my GoodReads page that I have ranked, in descending order, my favourite books. It's in a list showcased in the middle of my profile, best-to-worst from left-to-right. I've made 400+ ratings and reviews on GoodReads, so it's a long record of everything, I wouldn't break that consistency for a youtube video!)

You can find me here, always happy to chat:

My * ratings mainly reflect my estimate of accessibility/likeability to a general audience. Sometimes I award 5*s to less accessible books that I think have important messages and good morals.

* = Dislike (not recommended) ("failed")
** = Okay (recommended to select audience) ("flawed")
*** = Like (recommended to general audience) ("fine")
**** = Really like (strongly recommended to select audience) ("focused")
***** = Love (strongly recommended to general audience) ("fervent")

#crossroads #jonathanfranzen #franzen #bookreview #levitybooks

[LauraFreyReadinginBed]

I love this book too, and you're right, the usual critics have been notably silent this time! I found it very powerful myself, even though I don't have the same personal connection of going through a spiritual journey. Let's just hooe he actually finishes the trilogy!!

[thevibrantvixen]

This book is a masterpiece. Absolutely. Judas, very interesting. Thank you for your thoughts! Happy reading to you.

[joniheisenberg]

I adored this book. I cannot understand why it has not received more recognition.

[ahbooks]

It's always so special when we have such an intense response to a book. It seems like you picked up Crossroads at a perfect time. I've been intrigued by the cover and premise but felt that I shouldn't read it until I have read the Franzen I already own ( I think I might have The Corrections).

I've made a note to watch First Reformed as well. It was on my radar when it was first released but I never got around to it. I don't know whether you've watched 'Midnight Mass' by Mike Flanagan. It's a horror series on Netflix, but it is so much more than that. A remote fishing village experiences a resurgence in faith following the arrival of a new priest. I found it to be a very gentle and respectful exploration of faith and the lack of it.