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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
These three novels, the 'American trilogy', break new ground for Roth - political themes notably (the first covers the impact of the Vietnam War on a model Jewish citizen with a radicalised daughter; the second covers the impact of McCarthyism on an unstable left-wing Jew; the third, the impact of racism on an African American who decides in his student years to 'pass' for white).
I can admire the masterly technique of these novels. All seem to have won major literary prizes. And I understand the themes he is addressing and they do all seem as though they should be full of interest. I still missed the more entertaining Roth of earlier volumes in this series, though - and so would only give these novels a qualified recommendation.
I can admire the masterly technique of these novels. All seem to have won major literary prizes. And I understand the themes he is addressing and they do all seem as though they should be full of interest. I still missed the more entertaining Roth of earlier volumes in this series, though - and so would only give these novels a qualified recommendation.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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2 reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Three excellent, gritty novels
30 Oct 2011
Format:Hardcover
Philip Roth's American Trilogy shows many of the gritty realities of American life, using different people in different periods of time. A once-popular high school athlete whose daughter may be a domestic terrorist, beautiful lives destroyed during the McCarthy era, a former college professor with skeletons in the closet.. all of these show Roth's creativity and ability to create a startling portrait of American life. Roth's signature character and alter-ego Nathan Zuckerman is here, but only on the sidelines; he is the narrator.
The former humor of Roth is mostly gone; it hasn't been seen since Operation Shylock. The novels are still funny, albeit in a very black way, but it isn't the same. They are instead mostly serious, dark meditations on the reality of the American dream.
None of these novels are Roth's best (I would give that to The Counterlife) but they are all very good. One by one:
American Pastoral: This is the first novel of the series and seems to be most people's favorite of the bunch. For many people, it is their favorite Roth novel period. It is strange, then, that this is probably my least favorite of the bunch. It has an excellent story and character development, but falls a bit flat towards the end. Despite that, it is a scary, sad, gritty and occasionally funny novel.
I Married a Communist: And now, the second novel in the series, I Married a Communist. Another surprise; this seems to be most people's least favorite of the three, but it is my favorite. I can see why people wouldn't like it (Saul Bellow, long time friend and admirer of Philip Roth, hated this novel) but I found it to be scary and real. Read it and tremble.
The Human Stain: The Human Stain, the last novel of the three, is an incredibly sad, though oddly moving novel. I like it nearly as well as I Married a Communist, in some ways more. Reading about Coleman Silk's tragic plight is difficult but rewarding. The movie of the same name is decent, but nothing like the novel.
I don't like to extensively review novels, because you would be much happier just reading them for yourself. However, I would not say to start with any of these novels if you're new to Roth. Go with his first novel, Goodbye Columbus, which is also one of his best. You will see just how amazing he is, and can work your way up from there.
The former humor of Roth is mostly gone; it hasn't been seen since Operation Shylock. The novels are still funny, albeit in a very black way, but it isn't the same. They are instead mostly serious, dark meditations on the reality of the American dream.
None of these novels are Roth's best (I would give that to The Counterlife) but they are all very good. One by one:
American Pastoral: This is the first novel of the series and seems to be most people's favorite of the bunch. For many people, it is their favorite Roth novel period. It is strange, then, that this is probably my least favorite of the bunch. It has an excellent story and character development, but falls a bit flat towards the end. Despite that, it is a scary, sad, gritty and occasionally funny novel.
I Married a Communist: And now, the second novel in the series, I Married a Communist. Another surprise; this seems to be most people's least favorite of the three, but it is my favorite. I can see why people wouldn't like it (Saul Bellow, long time friend and admirer of Philip Roth, hated this novel) but I found it to be scary and real. Read it and tremble.
The Human Stain: The Human Stain, the last novel of the three, is an incredibly sad, though oddly moving novel. I like it nearly as well as I Married a Communist, in some ways more. Reading about Coleman Silk's tragic plight is difficult but rewarding. The movie of the same name is decent, but nothing like the novel.
I don't like to extensively review novels, because you would be much happier just reading them for yourself. However, I would not say to start with any of these novels if you're new to Roth. Go with his first novel, Goodbye Columbus, which is also one of his best. You will see just how amazing he is, and can work your way up from there.
All of Roth's novels are American Novels
29 April 2012
Format:Hardcover
I am not sure I understand the special reason for bringing together these three novels as Roth's 'American Novels' From his first published work the stories of 'Goodbye Columbus' Roth has been obsessed with the subject of what it means to be an American and most especially what it means to be a Jewish- American. In the work which will probably remain his signature work though done relatively early in his career 'Portnoy's Complaint' Roth ironically and hilariously portrays an American- Jewish childhood and world, with all its angsts and strange poignant beauties. Of these three novels 'American Pastoral' seems to me by far the best. 'The Human Stain' displays Roth in his vulgar, angry side and simply was too much for me to finish. When Roth becomes politically didactic he becomes like most others boring and he does this in "I Married A Communist'.
None of these works in my opinion equals 'Goodbye Columbus 'Portnoy's Complaint ' 'The Counterlife' 'Everyman' Nemesis' which are in my judgment Roth's finest work.
None of these works in my opinion equals 'Goodbye Columbus 'Portnoy's Complaint ' 'The Counterlife' 'Everyman' Nemesis' which are in my judgment Roth's finest work.
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