SOURCE: Rakoff, Joanna Smith. “Making The Corrections: An Interview with Jonathan Franzen.” Poets & Writers 29, no. 5 (September/October 2001): 27-33.

In the following profile of Franzen, Rakoff investigates the elements of the author's past as well as his current convictions, all of which contributed to the creation of The Corrections.

“How's America's favorite novelist doing?” shouts Jonathan Franzen's upstairs neighbor.

“Okay,” Franzen says, startled, a little embarrassed, and attempting to lock the door to his apartment. But the neighbor won't let up.

“Yeah? You must be doing a lot of interviews and photo shoots,” he insists.

“Yesssss,” Franzen says, drawing out the word sardonically, his mouth spread into a thin smile. He has decided to play along. “The Vogue people were here yesterday. I didn't shave for the shoot. They like it when writers look a little scruffy.”

Maybe so—okay, definitely so—but it's been a while since Franzen...