American Pastoral in Pick-a-Shelf

Jul 11, 2016 Nancy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: america, classics, literature

The stars I have given for this book are all for the writing, as there is no doubt at all in my mind that Phillip Roth is a spectacular writer. Furthermore, the narration of this particular edition was also incredible - the narrator captured the angsty Jewish voice so perfectly that there were many times I wondered whether he was reading at all of actually undertaking the stream of consciousness which makes up this unusual and intensely depressing novel. And it was because of the intense darknes ...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Sunflower rated it liked it

Shelves: e-books, fiction-read-2012

School reunions. Look what they can start......This book is narrated by an aging Zuckerman, having survived prostate cancer (with probably more side-effect details than you care to know), who rekindles his admiration for a high school hero. He hears some snippets of information about the hero (Swede) and goes on to reconstruct the events of Swede's life, charting his progress from being the epitome of the American Dream and the envy of all, inexorably down into complete destruction because of th ...more

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Jan 24, 2009 Melinda rated it it was amazing

I am a big Philip Roth fan and this is his best book by a mile. Roth writes in 2 main voices, his own and Nathan Zuckerman. American Pastoral is a Nathan Zuckerman book. His voice is that of compassion and reason when one man's world goes deeply awry. I don't like to give too much away in my reviews. I just encourage anyone who loves good writing to read this beautiful book. I don't typically re-red books very often, but this one held my attention all the way through the second time. ...more

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Jun 25, 2019 Tien rated it it was ok

Shelves: literature, read-on-kobo

I think I may have completely missed the point.

I liked the way Roth put certain things into perspective but overall, I didn't particularly enjoy the plot. I don't think I'd bother with the rest of the trilogy. ...more

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