The Sheila Variations

Portnoy's Complaint... as an adolescent it was the book our parents didn't want us to know about.

Wow. 'Literature' discovers alt-history. The whole genre must be jumping the shark.

Skip it. Read Philip K. Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle' instead.

Ooops. You were looking for Roth fans weren't yuo? sorry. ;-)

Yes, please. I'm looking for fans. Too many people I love and respect love Philip Roth - so I need to know where to start.

Philip Dick is on the list. The list which grows longer by the day. :) I can't remember why he came up first ... oh, when I was rambling on and on about "what is the self, is our identity something set in stone, or can it be imposed upon..."

But back to Philip Roth.

I want to hear from people who love the guy. Give me a roadmap.

He is splendid. His late books are less so. Do the right thing: read the first three, well, three of the first four (I've never read Letting Go, somehow missed that one). Order is not important. But Goodbye, Columbus and Portnoy's Complaint are absolutely essential, and I would highly recommend the overlooked and unusual When She Was Good, which is not what people think of when they think of Philip Roth.

Then move on to the Zuckerman Trilogy. Then pick and choose as you will. That's what I would recommend.

You are in store for some wonderful reading. Wish I could go back and find Roth for the first time! He is one of the greats.

Sheila--What's up? Read "American Pastoral" It was my first Philip Roth and then I went on and read a few more, and he continues to blow me away. He is unafraid to write what some people think, fear, desire...and there were entire paragraphs I sat and read and was stunned...

Cuzzin Mike ... how the hell are ya?? Lots of news on my end - cool stuff.

Did Kerry make you read it? I remember she went thru a huge Philip Roth phase...

Sheila! I totally agree with what Linus said. I've got a Roth library that you are welcome to pick through. The copy of Goodbye Columbus that I have has several short stories in it too, including "The Conversion of the Jews." It was the first thing of his I read and I adored it. Be prepared if you read Portnoy's Complaint on public transportation because some parts are howlingly funny. I made quite the spectacle of myself reading it inbetween classes when I was in college. I think someone may have even shushed me.

Sheila--Kerry discovered I read it after I had. I have the feeling that Roth is one of those few authors that is so good that whatever the first book you read you love. But then I went on to "The Human Stain" and "The Dying Animal" and continued to be awed by his frank and authentic language. While we're on the subject of great authors...read Richard ford's "Women with Men" and "The Sportswriter"--if you haven't I will send to you. He is the king.

Richard Ford is indeed one of the best writers writing today. Sportswriter knocked my socks off. So did Independence Day.

His best? I don't know, I read only one -- Portnoy's Complaint -- and liked it. At the time its tone reminded me a bit of Salinger.

He was the best of his type, until he left Van Halen.

A friend of mine recently recommended that I read "Portnoy's Complaint," telling me that I would relate to the protagonist. Then she told me that the book was about a man who masturbated a lot.

She still is my friend, believe it or not. I'm a very forgiving type.

David Lee Roth is now training to be an EMT in Queens.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Really? An EMT?

I'm not a Roth fan so I shouldn't be commenting, but I will anyway - if I were you I would read one of the later novels first rather than Portnoy's Complaint or Goodbye Columbus. Those two did not convert moi, but I'm curious to read some of his more recent stuff.

Sheila, I don't think you need to pre-read any Roth to get Roth. He's a wonderful explanatory writer. You can pick up one novel and get that novel on its own merits. He's straightforward, so you don't need familiarity with his work to "get" him. But if you want to read something of his, I recommend American Pastoral. It's beatifully told and probably would be more like the new novel than something like Portnoy's Complaint.

I'm odd when it comes to Phillip Roth. I either love his book or put it down after 2-3 chapters. TThe stuff everyone's mentioned, Portney's Complaint, American Pastoral and Goodbye Columbus are great. I'd also throw in The Professor of Desire and The Great American Novel .

American Pastoral really didn't do much for me, and I left it about a third of the way through. Maybe I should try again.

The exception to the rules above is the amazing Zuckerman Trilogy - you really must read Portnoy at least before you get to these, because Zuckerman is a relocation of Roth into fictional third person. Wonderful, wonderful stuff.

Linus et al:

Thank you! This has been very informative ... I have a reading list a mile long, but when I start to delve into Roth-land, I will most certainly post about it.