Regarding the accusations and even the admittance of Frey himself that this book is partly fabricated I can only state one thing. To me it didn't matter. This book is as heartbreaking and emotionally packed as anything that I have recently read. His minimalistic style and straightforward way of expressing his constantly changing inner feelings and outlook on life has moved me in a way that I have not felt while reading any other novel. Despite the embellishment of certain events in the book, Frey's account is exceedingly well written and will leave you breathless and gasping only for more. Behind all the tears that will be shed and the sorrow that will be felt, there's an underlying factor which overtakes all other emotions...hope.

From small town life to big city indulgences Franzen's novel brings forth nearly every aspect of family life beginning with childhood memories and working it's way through the fallout of the child-parent relationship and the failing relationship of each sibling with each other. Parkinson's disease, global politics, sexual desires, drug habits, alcoholism, depression...all intricately woven together to create a stunning web of fiction. A true masterpiece from one of the world's greatest living writers.

An engrossing tale about the afterlife as Mitch Albom sees it this book is a deeply moving novel with a surprising level of comic relief that would not be expected from a book devoted entirely to death and what comes after. A bit too sentimental for my taste but still a book worth reading and worth enjoying.