American Pastoral Summary
Philip Roth

Biography EssayIn 1973, Philip Roth wrote a satirical novel about baseball which he entitled The Great American Novel. The title refers to the parodies of a number of classic American novels in the ... Read more

In 1974, Philip Roth wrote a satirical novel about baseball which he entitled The Great American Novel. The title refers to the parodies of a number of classic American novels in the book, but it al... Read more

[This entry was updated by S. Lillian Kremer (Kansas State University) from her entry in DLB 173: American Novelists Since World War II, Fifth Series, pp. 202-234.]A major writer of twentieth-century ... Read more

[In the following review, Kakutani praises American Pastoral, lauding the books sensitively observed cast of characters and calling it "a fiercely affecting work of art."] Back in 196... Read more

[In the following review Eder briefly compares John Updike's novel In the Beauty of the Lilies to Roth's American Pastoral. Those two dray horses of American fiction, one dapple and o... Read more

[In the following review of American Pastoral, Cohen critiques Roth's repetitive use of his character Nathan Zuckerman, but praises the author's narrative energies, claiming that age see... Read more

[In the following review Hensher analyzes Roth's depictions of terrorism and the theme of betrayal in the novel American Pastoral.] It is surprising, in a way, that more novelists haven�... Read more

[In the following review Hardwick briefly compares American Pastoral to several other works by Roth: Operation Shylock. The Anatomy Lesson, Portnoy's Complaint, and The Professor of Desire. She... Read more

[In the following review, Fodor asserts that Roth's American Pastoral is interesting not only due to its treatment of "earlier, seemingly simpler times in American history, but also beca... Read more