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Arts & Entertainment

Obama Mocks Nation With Advanced Copy Of Franzen Book


By

Ben Yakas

Published Aug 24, 2010

Modified Aug 24, 2010


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By

Ben Yakas

Published Aug 24, 2010

Modified Aug 24, 2010


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President Obama has upset 9/11 responders, pissed off Rep. Charles Rangel, and enraged X-Box enthusiasts in the past, but this time he's gone too far: Last weekend, the President was given an advanced readers copy (A.R.C.) of the new Jonathan Franzen book "Freedom," which has been getting rave reviews for weeks (the NY Times calls it "a masterpiece of American fiction"). However, "Freedom" isn't available for purchase until next Tuesday!

Uproar and panic ensued in the literary community, with other bookstores threatening to sell the book before the release date and rumors that the publisher would push the release date forward. “People are confused,” said Jake Cumsky-Whitlock, a manager at Kramerbooks in Washington, who personally fielded a handful of requests for the book on Sunday. “One gentleman was somewhat indignant. He was sure that we were wrong.” And at McNally Jackson in Soho, its bookseller said, "I’ve been trying to foist ‘The Corrections’ on them in the meantime." Wait, does Obama know that Franzen dissed Oprah!

Tagged

books

freedom

jonathan franzen

president obama


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

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