Philip Roth: American Author Challenge

"Philip Roth was born on March 19, 1933 in Newark, New Jersey. In 1959, he won the National Book Award for Goodbye, Columbus. He had his first best-seller with 1969's Portnoy's Complaint.
Roth is considered one of the leading authors of the 20th century. He is best known for his provocative explorations of Jewish and American identity, often focusing on sexual and familial love and mortality. He is considered by many critics to be a literary troublemaker, graphically exploring uncomfortable cultural and familial issues.
In all, Roth has produced more than 30 books during his career. His most recent titles include Everyman (2006) and Nemesis (2010). He announced that he was retiring from writing in 2012, but it is difficult to believe that this great man of letters will stay away from the printed word forever."

**This is part of our American Author Challenge 2014. This author will be read in August. The general discussion thread can be found right here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/162960

I'm pretty sure I've read all the Roth I'm ever going to...that includes Portnoy's Complaint, Everyman, Nemesis, and The Human Stain. His male angst wears very thin with me. But I'll follow everyone else's adventures, and probably learn something.

Oh, dear. Male angst?!

I'll be reading The Plot Against America. I don't have high hopes of enjoying it, but I am trying to keep an open mind.

Ha! That's what I am supposed to be reading...

>5 katiekrug: Ditto! >6 Crazymamie: Uh oh

And what is wrong with male angst? Hmmmmmm??? I am feeling a little right now, as a matter of fact. Smirks...

I will also be reading The Plot Against America. Sadly, I have only read Portnoy's Complaint and that was many years ago. Like Updike, LT opinion seems to be mixed on his work. I would like to try a couple more of his books and see for myself.

>8 msf59: Aw Mark, here is a hug for you. (hug) :)

Thanks, Ro! I will unfold from my fetal position, just to receive the hug...Ahhhhhh.

I'll be trying Nemesis.

I've had American Pastoral on my TBR shelf for quite a while so I'll be reading that. I absolutely refuse to read Portnoy's Complaint (call me closed-minded) although I do have some interest in The Plot Against America.

>8 msf59: (((Mark)))
(yes, I know you were smirking but I think you're likely to get some grief with the August AAC.)

Either American Pastoral or The Plot Against America. But first I should finish my July Twain...

I just discovered that I also have a used copy of The Human Stain on my shelf, so I'll have to decide whether I'm going to read that or American Pastoral.

Is it o.k. to jump in here and join you folks for the August Roth read? I've been a lurker for quite a while. I've read several Roth novels but I'm sure I can scare one up at our little community library that I haven't read yet.

I read The plot against America earlier in the year so won't be joining in. I have a couple of his earlier works on my Mt TBR but won't get to them this year.

>15 mhmr: Welcome!

>14 EBT1002: The Human Stain wasn't bad, actually...

>15 mhmr: Sure, jump in with both feet, by all means!

>13 Deern: " But first I should finish my July Twain..." Amen, my friend.

>15 mhmr: We would love to have you along! And on any of the other AAC authors. What are your favorite Roth titles?

>16 avatiakh: What did you think of The Plot Against America, Kerry? Inquiring minds...

It's going to be Ghost Writer for me. Now I've got to check my tbr shelf and see whether I have it there.

Of the ones I read that I have a clear memory of, I did like American Pastoral and The Ghost Writer.

I'll be reading The Plot Against America for this group read. Thanks for having me.

I'll be trying The Plot Against America with an audiobook.

That top photo is about as intensely angsty as you can get.

I've had The Ghost Writer on my shelf for ages and plan to read it for August.

With the Twain finally out of the way, I decided for The Plot Against America. Another 418 p on my already super-long August tbr list, but the test chapter was promising.

OMG... In the first chapter of TPAA Roth describes a game called "I Declare War". I played that as a child endlessly, in the early 70s in Germany, I had completely forgotten about it!
Wondering if the GIs taught it the German kids and if it was still played a generation later? I believe it was at some point renamed into "7 Stars For" + countryname to get rid of the war allusion.

August is getting crowded. I'd better get one of my Philip Roth novels down off the shelf or I'll miss this event. :-|

This is a duplicate of my post on the AA page. For those of you who were considering skipping Roth, I urge you to reconsider!

****
My only prior experience with Philip Roth's works was with Goodbye Columbus and Portnoy's Complaint, both of which I read many years ago and both of which I remember as rather crude. Nemesis was a pleasant surprise. Whether it is due to Roth's maturity as a writer, or my own maturity as a reader, I found Nemesis to be a gripping coming-of-age story. Set in Newark, NJ during the 1944 polio epidemic, it's the story of Bucky Cantor, a phys-ed teacher, summering as a playground instructor. He has found a career, a woman to love, and is on the brink of a wonderful life when tragedy strikes. I definitely recommend this book!

A couple of years ago I heard Roth (on NPR) talking about Nemesis and it sounds really interesting.

I"m just over halfway through The Plot Against America, and after a slow start, it's become a very compelling read.

>29 katiekrug: I'm not quite to page 100 but getting close, and I haven't abandoned it yet. That's better than I expected.

I finished Plot Against America in one evening and the next morning. Could barely put it down. So well done.

I've dabbled in Philip Roth (Portnoy's Complaint and The Plot Against America). I've got a couple new-to-me ones to check out - American Pastoral and The Human Stain.

Karen O.

Well, I did love American Pastoral.

That's great to hear, mhmr! I'll look forward to the read.

Karen O.

>27 LoisB: I seem to remember liking Nemesis when I read (actually, listened to) it. I gave it 4 stars, so I must have.

ETA to add Yes, I just went back and read my review. I definitely found it a worthwhile read.

I finished The Plot Against America. It was a very good read. Very creative alternate history. Roth did his homework too. This would be a good place to start with Roth, if you are not drawn to his more "angsty" books.

How is everyone else doing? Anyone reading American Pastoral? That one sounds good to me.

I'm listening to The Plot Against America. I do about an hour of listening a day while I'm driving back and forth to work so it will probably take me a couple weeks on this one.

I agree it's very intriguing.

This is not only the first Roth that I've read, but I think this is also the first alternate history. So I'm stretching the old brain in a couple new directions here.

I've started The Ghost Writer. So far, it's really not captivating me . . . but at least it's pretty short.

>38 tymfos: Ah, I'm going to be starting that one soon. Non-captivating doesn't sound too good, but short helps.

I finished it. The first part was ho-hum for me, the second part drew me in, the third part utterly confused me (as intended, I think) and the last part left me thinking, "just too clever..."

I finished The Plot Against America some days ago. I enjoyed most of it, but thought the ending was rushed and fake (the "explanation" was really really bad imo). But writing alternate history automatically forces you to get onto the real path again at some point and that was a huge Task with this book.

I think I liked The Ghost Writer a bit more than Terri did. My review is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/179106#4818429

I finished Exit Ghost. It read like the author was full of himself and considered his readers as beneath him. Hated it.

Well, I read Nemesis, which I wasn't crazy about. The characters seemed pretty flat to me. I have liked other books by Roth, however.