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Everyone in this book is gross, despicable, self-righteous, annoying, cloying, and hopelessly self-serving even as they try desperately and with conviction to achieve ordinary decency. And Franzen is merciless in his assessment of the characters he creates, joining them in their self loathing, indulgent, navel gazing justification for every single thought or word they utter. David Ledoux, as the voice of all of the characters, nails it. His tone is so shrill and snarky that I often found myself wondering if I'd read the book instead of listened to it, maybe Franzen might have appeared more sympathetic. Even as they are irritating, there is something so desperate and outright needful in his characters that it's impossible not to identify with them even as you feel contempt. But it also made me grateful to live in a world where people are marginally better at loving each other than the Berglunds. At least I think I do...or do I? Don't let the nasty words fool ya, I really loved this book. Cause the more unaware you are of the possibility that you are an asshole, the higher the likelihood that you are one. That's a universal truth.