The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

This is a laugh out loud funny and at the same time very touching novel with characters you really come to care about. The Corrections tells the story of three anxiety-ridden adult siblings and their aging parents (who have some pretty major issues of their own) as they deal with their more or less dysfunctional lives and lurch towards a pending Christmas family reunion. Some reviewers used words like "self-indulgent" and "show-offy" to describe this book, and others loved it. While it is undeniable that the plot lines do careen all over the place, and Franzen's writing style may not be for everyone, I found the digressions to be fascinating, and the writing blew me away. Winner of the 2001 National Book Award and an Oprah Book Club selection. (Franzen gained some notoriety as the author who got disinvited from Oprah's show.) - EB