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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BestsellerNATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER“A spellbinding novel” (People) from the New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections is a comic, tragic epic of worlds colliding: an old-fashioned world of civic virtue and sexual inhibitions, a new world of home surveillance, hands-off parenting, do-it-yourself mental health care, and globalized greed.After almost fifty years as a wife and mother, Enid Lambert is ready to have some fun. Unfortunately, her husband, Alfred, is losing his sanity to Parkinson’s disease, and their children have long since flown the family nest to the catastrophes of their own lives.The oldest, Gary, a once-stable portfolio manager and family man, is trying to convince his wife and himself that, despite certain alarming indicators, he is not clinically depressed. The middle child, Chip, has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly at his new line of work. And Denise, the youngest, has escaped a disastrous marriage only to pour her youth and beauty down the drain of an affair with a married man―or so her mother fears.Desperate for some pleasure to look forward to, Enid has set her heart on an elusive goal: bringing her family together for one last Christmas at home.

In "The Corrections: A Novel" by Jonathan Franzen, we delve into the Lamberts, a seemingly ordinary Midwestern family grappling with their own set of unique challenges. At the heart of the story is patriarch Alfred Lambert, a retired railroad engineer, struggling with Parkinson's disease and longing for the stability of the past.

His wife, Enid, finds solace in hoarding objects and reliving memories of her youth, while their three grown children navigate their own personal turmoil. Chip, the eldest, is a successful businessman struggling to balance his demanding career with his strained marriage. Denise, the middle child, is a college professor facing a midlife crisis and questioning her choices.

Gary, the youngest, is a neurotic and overweight man harboring deep-seated resentment toward his family. As the Lamberts gather for Christmas at their ancestral home, their carefully constructed facades begin to crumble, revealing a family burdened by unspoken truths and long-buried secrets.

Franzen masterfully weaves together the perspectives of each family member, delving into their innermost thoughts and motivations. With poignant insights into the complexities of familial relationships, "The Corrections" explores themes of love, loss, forgiveness, and the enduring impact of the past on our present.

In his signature style, Franzen delivers a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant narrative that captures the nuances of human experience. "The Corrections" is a profound exploration of the delicate balance between the desire for connection and the need for independence within a family.