Jonathan Franzen’s “Crossroads” Presented at the Yerevan International Book Festival (photos)

Crossroads explores American society of the 1970s through the story of the Hildebrandt family. YSU International Relations lecturer Aram Araratyan, who first read the book in 2012, shared his impressions:

“I was deeply moved by this novel. I am glad that Newmag finally brought Franzen to Armenian readers. The 1970s in America were a fascinating period, but what’s even more compelling here are the family dynamics—the children’s struggles, their conflicts with parents, and their search for meaning. None of them are perfect, and they know it. What I find remarkable is how the same event is shown through the eyes of different characters.”

Artavazd Yeghiazaryan, editor of Yerevan magazine, also highlighted the author’s mastery of detail:

“Through the story of one family, we see American society as a whole. Each character could be the subject of a separate novel. It’s about fathers and sons, sisters and brothers, and the clash of generations. On the surface, the plot seems simple, but Franzen shows us how nothing is ever black and white.”

Anush Sedrakyan, Head of the Department of Foreign Literature at Yerevan State University, explained why critics call Crossroads a “great novel”:

“At first, I thought it was just another American novel. But as I read, I realized this is about much deeper issues. European literature often focuses on the lonely individual, but here it’s the opposite—the family is at the center. Sometimes surviving in a toxic family is harder than surviving among wild beasts. Religion also permeates the entire novel. This is truly a ‘great novel’ not only in scope but in depth.”

The book’s editor, Margarit Sargsyan, underlined the novel’s complexity:

“This is a multilayered work. Each section had to be translated and edited with precise vocabulary. It’s not a book you read in one breath; it makes you pause and reflect. While it takes us into a different society and culture, at the heart of the novel lies the universal human experience—love, betrayal, faith, doubt—that Armenian readers will also recognize in themselves.”

At the end of the presentation, Jonathan Franzen addressed Armenian readers in a video message prepared especially for Newmag. He expressed his gratitude and said he would be happy to visit Armenia—especially since the publishing house has committed to translating more of his novels into Armenian.