A review by jimmypat
My Life as a Man by Philip Roth
2.0
This is the third book in a series I am calling “quarantine life.” With all of our public libraries closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, I have turned to my bookshelves and the books that I haven’t read yet.
On the surface, this book is a hard one to rate: it approaches 4 stars with the absolutely incredible writing. However, it slums in the one star arena due to the sheer unpleasantness of the main character who also is a representation of the author, which further tarnishes this work. So, 2 stars it is.
Roth is about two things: himself and his penis. Everything else pales in comparison to Roth and his needs. While I think he thinks he is writing in a candid, honest, and truthful way, Roth is just limited to the physical and banal. There is no transcendence here, no true art..... Roth just rolls in his filth and wonders why he is so unhappy.
On the surface, this book is a hard one to rate: it approaches 4 stars with the absolutely incredible writing. However, it slums in the one star arena due to the sheer unpleasantness of the main character who also is a representation of the author, which further tarnishes this work. So, 2 stars it is.
Roth is about two things: himself and his penis. Everything else pales in comparison to Roth and his needs. While I think he thinks he is writing in a candid, honest, and truthful way, Roth is just limited to the physical and banal. There is no transcendence here, no true art..... Roth just rolls in his filth and wonders why he is so unhappy.