Jonathan Franzen and Kerri Miller on Talking Volumes, Sept. 21 / Photo by Tom Campbell
Jonathan Franzen appeared Monday on Oprah. The interview marked the selection of Franzen's novel "Freedom" as a pick for the Oprah Book Club.
Franzen appeared in St. Paul Sept. 21 as part of the Star Tribune's Talking Volumes series (co-sponsored with Minnesota Public Radio in collaboration with The Loft). His 2001 novel, "The Corrections," also was annointed by Oprah, but Franzen did not appear on her show then, following some disparaging comments he made about the implications of being an Oprah selection.
Asked in August about the years-ago flap, Franzen said, "I made the mistake of trying to say complicated things when I should have been saying simple things in the runup to my appearance on the show. I think [Oprah] may have overreacted a little bit, but understandably. But I don't think she mistook me for an elitist, and I didn't mistake her for an elitist-basher."
For an AP report on the televised conversation, go here.
For an interview with Franzen in the Star Tribune, click here.
Talking Volumes concludes its 2011 season with an appearance by Anita Shreve Dec. 8, at the Fitz.
