I finished Franzen’s first book last night The 27th City. I am not really sure what to say about it, except that I found it nowhere near as good as The Corrections. The plot was overdone. There were too many characters to keep straight. And the sense of urgency that filled the book was annoying and unwarranted. I think the Complete Review’s coverage is better than mine. So you should check that out if you want a lengthy review.