Play Book Tag discussion

Indignation by Philip Roth - 3* - My Review

Coming of age story of Marcus Messner, a young Jewish man, who is anxious to escape his father’s grip and make his mark in the world. He is from Newark, the son of a Kosher butcher. It is set in the fictional Winesburg College in the early 1950s during the Korean War, which he strongly desires to avoid. His father appears to recently have become more obsessed with his son’s safety (to the point that his mother is concerned for his father’s mental health). He makes a revelation early in the novel that changes the reader’s perspective of the rest of the story.

Marcus Messner relates his experiences in first person. He is going through the travails of young adulthood and trying to focus on his studies. He gets involved with a girl who has struggled with addiction and attempted suicide. He is filled with the indignation of a young idealist. He knows the way life “should be” and is angry about being misjudged. He feels some of the school rules are ridiculous. For example, there is a graduation requirement to attend Sunday worship services even though he is not religious. Instead of picking his battles, he goes toe-to-toe with the Dean, with severe consequences.

It is a book about the seemingly small things in life that, when compounded, result in a big impact. It is well-written, and I felt engaged in the story. There are a few unexpected turns. My primary issue with it is that non-stop indignation gets old even in a short book. I found it worth reading but it is not as striking as Roth's other works.

PBT Steeplechase - tagged "favorites" x110:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...

BWF March Extra I - fits letter and tagged "coming of age" x37:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...