Photo: David Shankbone / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jonathan Franzen is a novelist, writer and essayist, born on August 17, 1959 in Western Springs, Illinois, United States. As of 2026, Jonathan Franzen is 67 years old. Schooling on record includes Webster Groves High School and Swarthmore College. Listed accolades include honorary degree, Guggenheim Fellowship (1996), James Tait Black Memorial Prize (2002) and 3 more. Notable works include The Corrections and Freedom.
My Take
Jonathan Franzen is one of the few contemporary American novelists I trust to take the messiness of family life seriously and never flinch. The Corrections and Freedom earned him a National Book Award, a Pulitzer finalist nod, and a stack of other honors, but the prizes are not why I admire him. It is the unfashionable willingness to write the big, demanding social novel, plus the cranky, bird-loving public persona that comes with it. A Swarthmore intellectual who refuses to look down on his characters' pettiness, he writes people as they actually are. That clear-eyed compassion is rarer than any award shelf suggests.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jonathan Franzen
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョナサン・フランゼン
- Reading
- じょなさん・ふらんぜん
- Born
- August 17, 1959 (age 67)
- Origin
- Western Springs, Illinois, United States
- Occupation
- novelist / writer / essayist / opinion journalist / translator
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Boar
2. Background
- High school
- Webster Groves High School
- University
- Swarthmore College
Awards & achievements
- honorary degree
- 1996 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 2002 James Tait Black Memorial Prize
- 2001 National Book Award
- Fulbright Scholarship
- 2001 National Book Award for Fiction
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | The Corrections |
| Notable work | Freedom |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://jonathanfranzen.com
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan%20Franzen
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%8A%E3%82%B5%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%95%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BC%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316607
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jonathan Franzen born?
Jonathan Franzen was born on August 17, 1959 and is 67 years old.
Where is Jonathan Franzen from?
Jonathan Franzen is from Western Springs, Illinois, United States.
What does Jonathan Franzen do?
Jonathan Franzen works as novelist, writer, essayist, opinion journalist, translator.
Where did Jonathan Franzen study?
Jonathan Franzen attended Swarthmore College.
What is Jonathan Franzen known for?
Jonathan Franzen's notable works include The Corrections, Freedom.
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