filed in Daily Life
The Late, Great Philip Roth
It wasn’t until my forties that I finally got around to reading Philip Roth. I’d absorbed the buzz about his male-driven novels, and was simply in no hurry. But WOW. When I finally did, the bravura of his writing rocked me. Today, I’ve been poring through the obits. My favorite is a personal tribute by Zadie Smith. Here’s an excerpt:
“Roth always told the truth—his own, subjective truth—through language and through lies, the twin engines at the embarrassing heart of literature. Embarrassing to others, never to Roth. Second selves, fake selves, fantasy selves, replacement selves, horrifying selves, hilarious, mortifying selves—he welcomed them all.”
Discussion
3 comments for “The Late, Great Philip Roth”
Leave a Reply
About this Site
FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
Follow First Person Singular
Greatest Hits
Roth was one of the greats. I adore the Sadie Smith quote. She rocks!
I have never read any Philip Roth books. Which would you recommend and why?
My most favorite is American Pastoral. Check out this book list compiled by the NY Times. https://nyti.ms/2IHHRpW