"I was unwise enough to actually mention this in public a few times, and in fact to point out that there were two versions of the book now. One of them had somebody else's name on the cover, one had my name on the cover"

This quote by Jonathan Franzen is referring to the experience of having his book published in 2 various versions. One variation had his name on the cover, while the other had somebody else's name on the cover. Franzen was ill-advised to discuss this in public, as it might be seen as an indication of disrespect to the other author. It might likewise be viewed as a sign of conceit, as if Franzen was trying to accentuate himself and his work. Franzen's error in mentioning this openly could have triggered some stress between himself and the other author, along with in between himself and his publisher. It could also have actually caused some confusion amongst readers, as they might not have actually know that there were 2 versions of the book. Franzen's error in mentioning this publicly might have had some unfavorable effects, but it might likewise have been a knowing experience for him.