The First Book Discussion of the Newmag Signature Club Took Place: Members Discussed Jonathan Franzen’s “Crossroads” (Photos)

Newmag introduced a fresh and interactive format for the discussion. Editor-in-chief Gnel Nalbandyan explained why the event would move beyond the traditional discussion model.

“We chose a golden mean between the Oscars, ‘What? Where? When?’ and the CBA Games. We discussed the novel through specially designed nominations. Newmag strives to lead in this format as well, imagining book discussions in a completely new and engaging way,” he noted.

Club participants were divided into four teams. For each nomination, they were given five minutes to discuss and present their collective choice. The moderator recorded the key arguments and most compelling insights from each group.

The discussion revolved around seven nominations for Crossroads:

• Best Phrase
• Best Description
• Best Dialogue
• Best Ending
• Best Supporting Character
• Best Anti-Hero
• Best Hero

Over the course of nearly two hours, participants not only shared their selections but also offered thoughtful justifications for their choices. The conversation extended beyond the nominations to include reflections on the novel’s literary value, its thematic depth, and the complexity of its characters.

Interestingly, some of the answers overlapped across different teams, highlighting shared impressions of Franzen’s work. For the final nomination, “Best Hero,” an additional individual vote was held, allowing each participant to select the novel’s most compelling character. The winner was determined by majority vote.

The evening marked the beginning of what promises to be a series of creative and intellectually engaging discussions within the Newmag Signature Club community.