The Plot Against America

This book tells an alternative history, featuring the presidency of Nazi-sympathiser flying ace, Charles Lindberg. While it does indulge the pleasures of near-farcical what-if scenarios (what if a reactionary US government came up with a sufficiently plausible excuse to invade Canada, say), at heart it's not at all playful. It's not just alternative history; it at least has the trappings of alternative autobiography: the narrator's name is Philip Roth, and I'm pretty sure his life matches that of the author in any number of ways. So this isn't so much speculative fiction as a deeply felt nightmare of what might have been.

Ostensibly a what-if historic novel based on the premise that Nazi-friendly Lindbergh wins the US presidency (and worth reading for that alone), this brave and perspicacious book contains a deeper analysis of America's political system and culture, which - if the "right" people come along, could just as easily be turned into a police state where Jews were persecuted as was the case in some European countries before WWII. Roth indicates that the people's urge to conform which is typical of a society based on immigration, the strong and vocal patriotism, and institutions such as the FBI and the police can easily be used for nefarious goals. In that light, it is hard not to read this as a parable on US politics in the first decade of the show more 21st century. In the book, the right-leaning president is originally well-intended, but is almost powerless against evil, such as the Nazis and the vice-president who takes over after him, but lets the country erupt in antisemitic riots.
One high-ranking person takes a stand and sends out the following message, which might almost have been spoken in 2004, when this book was published: "I ask no more of the American people than that they follow my example and refuse to accept or support government conduct that is indefensible. The history of the present administration is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. This government has been deaf to the voice of justice and has extended over us an unwarrantable jurisdiction".
Lastly, Roth has a brilliant writing style. His intricate sentences have a mesmerizing rhythm and meander over the page like an endless Latin period, so that it makes you want to read them out aloud. show less

This is one of the most engrossing novels I’ve ever read. At its core, Philip Roth’s remarkable alternate history tale, “The Plot Against America,” imagines an America in which aviation hero and fierce isolationist Charles A. Lindbergh defeats Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election. Within that framework, Roth focuses on the consequences for Jews in America as Lindbergh’s Nazi sympathizing becomes increasingly evident and a wave of antisemitism stealthily builds, and most particularly the plight of the Jewish community in Newark, New Jersey, largely illustrated by drawing autobiographically on his own family and childhood experiences. The result is a richly drawn and finely detailed narrative presented show more from the viewpoint of young Philip at seven years old but told by him as an older man with many years of perspective to elucidate the fears that shrouded these events. Roth seamlessly weaves together the day’s historical figures with the incidents that occur at the national, local, and family levels into an all too plausible nightmare scenario. The novel does, however, have a few lighter moments of Philip’s youthful hijinks that serve to occasionally break the tension. I can quibble that Roth reveals the historical end-game a bit too soon, and that the ending is rather abrupt; nevertheless, this is a riveting tour de force.

I must also note the absolute artistry of Roth’s dynamic and complex sentence structure. Like fine works of handicraft, Roth’s sentences, albeit long, are beautiful little works of art, carefully molded and shaped with just the right embellishment and detail, resulting in highly polished nuggets of prose that place the particular events, characters, situations, and emotions in clear and illuminated context. show less

A very well written book that, despite being an outright Alternate History novel, ended up in the Literature section rather than the Sci-fi section because of the critical popularity of the author (see Vonnegut as well.)
I'd never read Philip Roth before, but his talent is such that at times I would forget this was about the pro-Nazi Charles Lindberg being elected president in the 40's and not a coming-of-age type autobiography. It centers around a Jewish family in Newark as they face the changes Lindberg forces upon the America they used to know and love.
One of the books greatest strengths is how the alternate history aspects are toned down, letting the reader in on how terrifying things could have been had someone like Lindberg used show more his popularity to become president. However, I think that its subtlety is perhaps its greatest flaw; I felt Roth sacrificed action for pathos and created a story that, while very memorable and engaging, isn't really full of the kind of entertaining climaxes one would have expected in a book where a Nazi sympathizer becomes President of the United States. The characters, however, are all human and deeply written. A really good book. show less

I first read this in the early aughts when I had a small child, a demanding job, and a limited amount of intellectual energy to lend, and still I really loved it. As I recall what I liked most were the parts that were clearly autobiographical. It was novel to see Roth writing about a good mother (a great mother actually) and a loving father with moral strength. Roth's fictional mothers are largely pathological and overbearing and his fictional fathers, where they exist at all, are like ghosts. As i recall I thought the alternate history element of this book was interesting, but seemed far-fetched.

Fast-forward to 2019 - Not only is this alternate history not far-fetched, it has ceased to be particularly alternate. Sure its not the show more 1940's. the players are different, but holy mackerel the Lindbergh presidency in this book looks a whole lot like the Trump presidency. Lindbergh even runs on an "America First" platform. The white power rallies in the book are our alt-right rallies. In the book the focus was on antisemitism alone, rather than the current war on all people not white, straight and christian, but wow, did Roth have Americans pegged or what?!?!

I recommend this to all. I didn't love the ending, but I understood the point; there is no ending to this story. A book to be admired, but also a gripping story, beautifully written (as one expects from Philip Roth) about the danger of principles, the uncertainty and joy of childhood, the many kinds of loss, the depth of familial love, the ravages of guilt, and the hate that people choose to embrace so they do not have to face fear. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I am going to call this a masterpiece. show less

I'm a Roth fan; have been since about 1969, and have read several of his books. A particular favorite is his early novel, LETTING GO. Philip Roth's THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA came out about a dozen years ago, and it was a national bestseller at the time. How I missed it, I'm not sure, but I kinda wish I'd read it then instead of now. Because reading it this past week, deep into the nastiness of the current national election cycle - indeed, during the last presidential debate - has been an eerily chilling experience.

To explain: PLOT is the kind of fiction known as "alternate history." Set in the early forties, a major offstage character is Charles Lindbergh. We all remember 'Lucky Lindy,' of course, national hero that he was, following his show more heroic trans-Atlantic flight in his small aircraft, 'The Spirit of St. Louis.' Well this Lindbergh is not quite so heroic, and what's really spooky is that much of what has to tell us about Lindbergh in these pages was absolutely true. Most Americans won't remember the Lindy presented here, i.e. that he was an admitted admirer of Adolph Hitler. That he visited Germany and was awarded a special medal by the Third Reich. That he was, as evidenced by his diaries, an anti-Semite. That he was openly critical of FDR's administration and was also associated with the isolationist 'America First' movement before and during the war.

Well, keep all of these things in mind when you learn that, very early in PLOT, Lindbergh defeats FDR in the 1940 election and becomes President of the USA, and gradually begins instituting programs that oh-so subtly target the Jewish population, relocating families and attempting to influence their children.

The 'hero' of the novel is a seven (to nine) year-old Jewish boy, Philip Roth, who lives with his older brother and parents in Newark, NJ. Yup, Philip Roth, who, as any Roth reader knows, did grow up in Newark. And because of this, the details of the Roth family's Newark neighborhood and the times (1940-42) are strikingly convincing.

Filled with real-life historical figures - FDR, La Guardia, Walter Winchell, Burton K. Wheeler, Henry Ford, and others - THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA presents us with very real details on how history might have been vastly different, in a very frightening way. And, seen from the perspective of a small boy, this is especially true. (Although Roth offers a kind of double lens, as he is also looking back at these years from a present-day perspective.)

Consider this: Lindberg admired Hitler; Trump admires Putin. Lindberg was anti-Semitic; Trump is anti-Muslim, and anti-Mexican, and maybe anti-just-about-everyone else too. Lindberg was an active voice in the infamous 'America First' isolationist movement; Trump - ditto; he's brought it back. There are other parallels that I kept seeing as I made my way through Roth's alternate history of Newark, the U.S., and the world in the early forties.

Roth wrote THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA at least a dozen years before the Trump bid for the presidency, which makes it even more eerily prescient. But, in any case, I think you get what I mean. Chilling, spooky, frightening. A great book. Very highly recommended. (four and a half stars)

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

Technically an alternate history novel, be prepared for some ominous overtones with the current political reality. Where "what-if" meets "wtf." Especially chilling in showing how unacceptable actions become normalized, oppression is justified, and dissent is considered suspicious and dangerous. Ron Silver is a great Roth narrator (I listened to his rendition of American Pastoral, too). Proceed at your own risk (but you might as well dive in...might help us navigate the years ahead).