Crossroads

Synopsis: Meet the Hildebrandts, a pleasant mid-Western family who live in New Prospect, a fictional suburb of Chicago. It’s 1971, and the Hildebrandts, individually and collectively, are at a crossroads. Our patriarch Russ is the associate pastor of First Reform Church. He’s nursing a grudge against another pastor of the church, and growing ever closer to committing adultery with a young widowed parishioner. Children Clem, Becky, Perry and Judson are all self absorbed in their own drama, as teenagers are. Mom Marion starts the novel as a frumpy, overweight pastor’s wife, almost invisible except as a “warm cloud of mommieness.” She reaches her own crossroad, naturally, as each member of the family grapples with issues of faith and morality.

Review: There are two things that Jonathon Franzen supplies in abundance: humor, and words. Why write one sentence if two will do? This is a long book, but well worth the investment of time. Everyone in the family gets page time (well, except for Judson who is a bit too young for much angst or drama). It’s set in the 1970’s, a time of deep social division and upheaval, so yes, it feels of the moment! It’s a novel about being good, and what that means to each of the Hildebrandts. One powerful (and hilarious) scene has 15 year old Perry getting drunk at Reverend Haefle’s Christmas party. He engages a rabbi and Lutheran minister in conversation about whether it is possible to be truly good if you derive satisfaction from being good. After all, if your self interest is the motivation, maybe you’re just a narcissist! And that is NOT good. Big Questions, wrapped in a dysfunctional family saga, with a measure of cultural commentary thrown in, this is vintage Franzen.

Rating: 4/5

Recipe: Perry consumes just a bit too much of Mrs. Haefle’s traditional Swedish glogg, and ends up being escorted home by Reverend Haefle. Sounds like it could cause quite the hangover.

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine

1 1/2 cups bourbon or vodka

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons raisins, more for serving

1 tablespoon cardamom pods

2 tablespoons sliced ginger

1 stick cinnamon

8 whole cloves

2 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds

orange slices for garnish

1) combine wine, bourbon or vodka, sugar, orange zest, raisins, cardamom pods, ginger, cinnamon stick and cloves into a 2-3 quart pot and simmer for 2 minutes.

2) remove from heat and let steep for an hour

3) strain to remove the fruit and spices and gently reheat the punch

4) add a few slivered almonds and raisins to each serving glass and garnish with a slice of orange.