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Jonathan Franzen’s gift for wedding depth and vividness of character with breadth of social vision has never been more dazzlingly evident than in Crossroads.

It’s December 23, 1971, and the Hildebrandt family is at a crossroads. The patriarch, Russ, the associate pastor of a suburban Chicago church, is poised to break free of a marriage he finds joyless - unless his brilliant and unstable wife, Marion, breaks free of it first. Their eldest child, Clem, is coming home from college afire with moral absolutism, having taken an action that will shatter his father. Clem’s sister, Becky, long the social queen of her high-school class, has veered into the era’s counterculture, while their younger brother Perry, fed up with selling pot to support his drug habit, has firmly resolved to be a better person. Each of the Hildebrandts seeks a freedom that each of the others threatens to complicate.

Universally recognized as the leading novelist of his generation, Jonathan Franzen is often described as a teller of family stories. Only now, though, in Crossroads, has he given us a novel in which a family, in all the intricacy of its workings, is truly at the center.

By turns comic and harrowing, a tour-de-force of interwoven perspectives and sustained suspense, Crossroads is the first volume of a trilogy, A Key to All Mythologies, that will span three generations and trace the inner life of our culture through the present day. Complete in itself, set in a historical moment of moral crisis, and reaching back to the early twentieth century, Crossroads serves as a foundation for a sweeping investigation of human mythologies, as the Hildebrandt family navigates the political, intellectual, and social crosscurrents of the past fifty years.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Crossroads: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen

Crossroads, a 2021 novel by Jonathan Franzen, tells the story of the Hildebrandt family, set in an affluent Chicago suburb in 1971. The novel explores the family's relationships, secrets, and challenges during a time of cultural upheaval and change.

The novel's central character is Patty Hildebrandt, a high school senior facing various personal and family struggles. As Patty navigates her final year of school, she deals with her parents' marital issues, her own burgeoning sexuality, and the increasing social and political unrest of the early 1970s.

Patty's father, Russ, is a successful businessman grappling with a midlife crisis and infidelity. Her mother, Marion, is an intelligent and ambitious woman who feels stifled by her domestic role. Their younger son, Clem, is a bright and sensitive boy dealing with his own identity and place within the family.

As the novel progresses, the Hildebrandts find themselves at a crossroads, both literally and figuratively. The family embarks on a summer road trip to California, seeking a fresh start and hoping to heal their wounds. Along the way, they encounter various challenges and adventures that test their resilience and force them to confront their individual and collective demons.

Crossroads is a powerful and moving novel that delves into the complexities of family dynamics, the search for meaning and connection in a changing world, and the timeless struggles of love, loss, and redemption.

Major Themes in Crossroads:

• Family Relationships: The novel explores the intricate relationships within the Hildebrandt family, examining the bonds between parents and children, husbands and wives, and siblings.


• Social and Political Upheaval: Crossroads is set against the backdrop of the early 1970s, a time of significant social and political change. The novel reflects the tension and uncertainty of the era, as the Hildebrandts grapple with the Vietnam War, the women's liberation movement, and the changing moral landscape.


• Identity and Self-Discovery: Patty, Russ, Marion, and Clem embark on journeys of self-discovery as they confront their own identities, desires, and aspirations. The novel explores the challenges and triumphs of finding one's place in the world.


• Generational Differences: Crossroads highlights the generational differences between Patty and her parents, reflecting the changing values and attitudes of the 1970s. The novel explores the clash between traditional notions of family life and the emerging counterculture.

Crossroads is a thought-provoking and insightful novel that offers a nuanced exploration of family, societal change, and the human condition. Its compelling characters, intricate relationships, and evocative setting make it a must-read for contemporary fiction enthusiasts.