Jonathan Franzen at the Whitworth Art Gallery



It's all gone a bit cultural in Manchester this weekend thanks to the efforts of the creativetourist website. Top of the bill was a chance to see Jonathan Franzen (he of The Corrections) in conversation with the writer and DJ Dave Haslam.

The event took place in the grand surroundings of the Whitworth Art Gallery on Oxford Road, in a room which appears to be used for exhibiting the world's greenest wallpaper. It held about 150 people and was sold out. There was a fairly broad mix of people attending, with ages ranging from student to fifty-something and demeanours ranging from quite arty to ridiculously arty.

The evening started with an impromptu comedy turn from Franzen, who is a tall guy and had to get creative with the very short lectern he'd been given. He then gave a reading from his new book Freedom. Despite a fair bit of flicking through I haven't yet found the passage he read from, which concerns a character called Joey facing the wrath of his girlfriend's mother for putting his relationship on hiatus. Franzen is a good reader and he got the audience laughing in all the right places.

Next came a Q&A session. I got the impression that Haslam was a little in awe of his guest, and he didn't engage with Franzen's answers as much as I would have liked, but his pre-prepared questions were interesting enough. He even got Franzen to expound on the title, which he has been unwilling to do in interviews. Apparently it's something to do with being free to be who you are rather than liberty in the abstract sense (maybe that will make more sense once I've read it). Franzen came across as charming, funny and - a relief after some of the press he's had over the years - down-to-earth, looking appropriately embarrassed at the mention of the Great American Novelist tag (© Time Magazine).

Next came the audience questions, which were a mixed bag. Among the most memorable were a criticism of naming a band 'Walnut Surprise' (fair cop) and one about the part of the reading concerning 'stupid' reactions to 9/11, which prompted a discussion about the dysfunctional state of US politics. We also found out that Franzen has a soft spot for British punk music, in particular The Mekons. He doesn't care for e-books, and hopes that paper books will see off the challenge, though he was amused to be asked to sign a Kindle once.

After the show ended there was a signing session. The organisers proudly announced that we were the first people in the UK to be offered the newly corrected version of Freedom. I had made a tactical error in not buying the book on the way in and ended up near the back of the line, but it moved pretty fast and I got a signature before the last tram home.

A very pleasant evening and all credit to Mr Haslam for getting the author of the moment to Manchester.

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