How to Be Alone

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, imperial America.

“[Franzen] focuses on the growing commercialism and alienation . . . Presenting a number of variations on that theme, he addresses such personal topics as his smoking habit, an interview for the Oprah show, and his father’s battle with Alzheimer’s, a poignant account of the disease’s impact on his family. In addition, pieces on the shortcomings of the Chicago post office, the supermax prison in Colorado, and the isolating effects of an increasingly computerized society show Franzen’s skill as a journalist and social critic. Also included is ‘Why Bother?,’ a revision of his 1996 critique of the American novel . . . penetrating yet entertaining social commentary.” —Library Journal

“Intelligent, thoughtful and provocative pieces.” —Publishers Weekly

“Although Franzen calls them ‘essays’ many of these pieces are reportage. He’s good at it . . . He goes out on many a limb (as essayists should) and gives us a good many things to think about, such as the blurring line between private and public behavior in the age of the 24-hour news cycle.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“An intellectually engaging self-awareness as formidable as Joan Didion’s.” —New York Times

“Do good books matter anymore? This one does.” —Time