Philip Roth
2000
Around 350 pages
Margaret Atwood has left us, but Philip Roth remains. Where is the justice in the world? Actually, this is probably my favorite Roth so far, but I'm still not very excited about him. He would definitely be one of those YouTubers ranting about how society has gone woke, so it's probably for the best that he's not alive right now.
The novel is narrated by frequent Roth stand-in Nathan Zuckerman, who is asked by Coleman Silk to write his story. Silk was a professor, and one day used the term "spooks" to describe two students who are frequently absent. The two African American students take offense to this, and it basically ruins his life and career.
This is a very nuanced situation, but of course society doesn't really care about nuance in conversations like this. Silk is a pretty fascinating specimen, and I don't usually find much appeal in Roth's cast of characters, so that's something. The themes he explores are still culturally relevant today, and I just found the overall pacing of this one easier to take.
This is a good start if you are looking to explore Roth's works, although I would probably recommend The Breast over this, because it's so goddamn weird.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
GQ listed this as one of the best books of the 21st century.
Adapted to film in 2003.
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