books

Jonathan Franzen’s Next Book Is Coming in 2015

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: Jonathan Franzen poses after being presented with the WELT Award For Literature at Axel Springer Haus on November 8, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Timur Emek/Getty Images)
Photo: Timur Emek/Getty Images

Gravitas is about to make its return to American literary life: Jonathan Franzen has a new novel, and it’s coming out in September 2015. The book’s called Purity, which is the name of the main character and also a metaphor, probably. Like The Corrections and Freedom, Purity will tell the story of multiple generations of one American family — unlike those earlier books, this new one will find the author experimenting with something close to magical realism. “It’s not strict realism,†Franzen’s publisher told the New York Times. “There’s a kind of mythic undertone to the story.†We’ve got 10 months to find out exactly what that means, but you can start loading your think pieces now.

Jonathan Franzen’s Next Book Is Coming in 2015