..by the thoroughness, the strong and not stylistically flashy writing, the wholeness of characterization that J Franzen achieves in Freedom. Also, by A Proulx`s energetic prose, her original, apt, sometimes surprising diction. One difference, Franzen takes a long time with a scene; Proulx covers decades in pages.À Québec I will be reading the books (such as Accordion Crimes) Carleen has here, that interest me. Freedom is the only one I will carry back, because I have to; it belongs to David Z.