It is impossible to recreate reality. One can only accept what comes to you and hold onto what you have and take it as it comes. No matter how many times the stories and tales about human life are repeated, and no matter how many details about that subject are added, it will never be enough. For life and the human soul have always been a rich mine for those who are willing to talk about it. No matter what you have read, you will feel in front of those kinds of stories that you are reading about that subject for the first time, and you will feel the same excitement and the same initial feeling.

The novel deals with the life of a Jew, from the moment of his death in a flashy BMW, it touches on all the details of that life and the important stages in it, many life details and even more psychological details, complex relationships with different people, whether his family or his lovers or his friends, with an in-depth description of the Jewish society by the author.

The work is good from a certain point of view, and although it is relatively short, it was a dense literary dose and very fulfilling. And it is beautiful how the author describes the situation of his main character and his view of religion. He says that religion was a lie that he knew early in life, and he found all religions to be invasive, and he considered their superstitions to be meaningless, childish, and not having reached full maturity. The talk of children and straight paths and flocks, the greedy believers. So he has no hesitation or hypocrisy when it comes to death and God, no sick fantasies or delusions for him. There are only our bodies, born to live and die according to the conditions determined by the bodies that lived and died before us. And if it is possible to say that he founded a philosophical place for himself, then he had reached it early and simply, and no matter what the elements that it consists of, this was all there was. And if he had to write an autobiography, he would call it "The Life and Death of a Human Body."

In general, the work is good, deep, and a useful second experience with a renowned author.

Romance and translation are two things that I love and find intelligent. With enthusiasm and because of the first half of the book, I give it four stars.

Some parts of the text:

"Aging is not a battle, it is a general massacre."

...

The abundance of stars in a vague way told him that he was heading towards destruction.

...

The second time they went out for dinner together, Phoebe asked him: "Why do you sometimes laugh at the things I say? Even when I'm speaking seriously?" "Because you attract me and you don't even know about your own charm."

...

"The people you betray as liars create a long list of insults in their minds that have been done to them, and after a while, they can't think of anything else."

...

He had gone to the painting to forget this reality: we are born into the world to live, but instead, we die.

...

When a woman adorns herself with a diamond, her husband is no longer a plumber—he is a man whose wife has put a diamond around her neck.

...

Our father used to tell us that when a beautiful girl adorns herself with a piece of jewelry, other women think that if they adorn themselves with that jewelry, they will look like that girl.

My first encounter with a Philip Roth novel was through the audio version. Some might argue that listening doesn't count, but I believe it doesn't significantly invalidate my opinion. Here on Goodreads, I've heard passionate debates for and against Roth for quite some time. He's undeniably one of the few modern American writers with numerous awards and a strong literary reputation. Six of his novels are on The NY Times "Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years" report.

After experiencing "Everyman," I'm left wondering about his glowing reputation. The novel bored me like no other in months. It failed to capture my imagination and only minimally piqued my intellectual curiosity. It was completely predictable, lacking in creativity and passion.

The story is about an aging man facing death, looking back on his life with regret. His failures include cheating on his wife and being afraid of Al-Qaeda after 9/11. Neither his regrets nor his thoughts on death are novel or interesting.

I also felt the novel was self-serving, with Roth似乎沉迷于自己的描述，试图显得聪明。但像“vitriolic despondency”这样的短语并不能打动我，反而让我感到烦躁。此外，他过度渲染了性主题，却毫无新意。

Roth's attempt to face the issue of old age and death head-on is admirable. However, "Everyman" seemed forced and formulaic, like a high school student's plot. I understand Roth's point about the protagonist representing everyman, but the story failed to come alive for me. The topic of death can be captivating when written with heart and depth, but this novel left me feeling depressed and confused about Roth's iconic status.

Wondering what I was missing, I checked if this novel was on the NY Times list. It wasn't. In fact, Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times wrote, "In the course of Everyman Mr. Roth captures the more depressing aspects of aging....But these harrowing evocations of age and infirmity do not a novel make. This book often reads like a laundry list of complaints about the human condition."

Maybe the Times is right about Roth. Maybe this is just one of his worst books. I won't give up on him yet, but I have to admit that my first experience with Philip Roth was not positive.

The Man in the Street was a book that I opened and read simply because some of my Goodreads friends liked it. Did I like it? I did. I think it's very strong in some aspects.

Firstly, although it is written in a rather subdued style, the author has managed to convey certain emotions very well in places (such as the protagonist's erotic escapades, the constriction caused by his inability to come to terms with old age, etc.). As Biron Paşa said, after reading this book, my view of old age will be different and more settled than before, but my thoughts on the book are not limited to this.

I think The Man in the Street is a very typical 21st-century novel. Moreover, it deals with the mind-body dichotomy (which I see as a false dichotomy) as deeply as possible. Our protagonist has been struggling with health problems since childhood; he had a hernia operation as a child, and in adulthood, his appendix burst and then came a series of illnesses: clogged arteries, kidney problems, etc. Philip Roth has described all these illnesses in a very mechanical way, and one might think that he either did a good research or he himself has experienced some of them. In short, the protagonist is an everyman who has been disappointed by his body throughout his life. He has ruined the only marriage he valued because of "impotence", and his will to live is gradually declining because of the operations he has every year. What Philip Roth did best in this book is actually this: a person's inability to control his own body, to preserve his old passions and desires in his soul, but the power to realize them is gradually fading. However, the reason why I call this novel a typical 21st-century novel is that this change is presented through a modern individual who has continuous operations and stays alive thanks to the miracles of modern medicine, sometimes with his veins being scraped, and sometimes with additional parts being attached to his body like a cyborg: this is the really scary part, I think. As a person in my twenties, the version of old age that I least want to experience is probably the version that everyman experiences, and the reason why I liked this book is that the author portrayed this fear and this destruction very clearly.

I think I will continue to read Philip Roth, but before that, I plan to continue reading one novel from different authors. I'm going a bit randomly, but I have one criterion: each book will be by a different author. Let's see how long I can last.

In the early pages of the book, our hero is mourned in a chilly ceremony at a vandalized cemetery.

For ten pages towards the end of the book - and of his life - the aged hero converses with the gravedigger who takes a break from digging a hole in the same cemetery to explain to him step by step his work.

On the back cover, we read that the theme of this book is death: the common experience that terrifies us all.

I wouldn't put it that way. Death is presented as just another experience, as it is in life, a part of it, with a routine, something commonplace, dealt with practically, chosen while stripping away passions and habits. Death does not terrify Roth. It poses problems, irritates, anguishes, but it does not terrify.

These ten pages of the gravedigger are clearly an analysis-understanding-reconciliation.

This was Katerina's second reading.

She will read it again in 20 years.

"Old age isn't a battle; old age is a massacre.”

I'm not a frequent reader of Roth, but what I've read of him so far shows me an author with extraordinary prose and impeccable handling of human depth. In this case, I came across a Roth who reminds me of Don DeLillo. Because Everyman deals with despair, decadence, loneliness, and irresponsibility, but mainly with death.

The protagonist of this story is a great man who, as he ages, his awareness of death increases, as well as his visits to the hospital. This can sometimes become repetitive, but that repetition, I believe, is the charm of the book: his mind resists but his body breaks. It's a fantastic work by this author whom I must read more of. One of the best books about decadence and pain that I've read. Highly recommended.

Roth's exploration of the human condition in Everyman is both poignant and thought-provoking. He delves deep into the psyche of the protagonist, revealing the fears and insecurities that come with old age. The vivid descriptions of the hospital visits and the protagonist's physical decline add a sense of realism to the story.

Overall, Everyman is a powerful and moving book that offers a profound meditation on the meaning of life and death. It's a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the darker aspects of the human experience.

It has now been approximately three years since Philip Roth, who was then 79 years old, made the famous announcement of his retirement from fiction writing.

In a retrospective look over Roth's career, which spanned half a century and included 30 books, Everyman (2006) might seem to fade into the background, particularly considering the novella's relatively short length.

However, to overlook it would be a significant error. This is a nearly perfect fable that delves into the life we construct through decades of small decisions and the ever-present specter of death, regardless of whether we feel prepared or not.

My comprehensive review is now accessible on the Fig Tree Books blog. I encourage you to take a look around and discover the remarkable work they do in spotlighting the American Jewish Experience.

It is truly fascinating to explore the depth and breadth of Roth's literary contributions and to gain a deeper understanding of the themes and ideas that he so masterfully explored throughout his career.

Whether you are a long-time fan of Roth or new to his work, Everyman is a must-read that will leave you with much to思考 and reflect upon.

So, head on over to the Fig Tree Books blog and check out my review today!

When I opened Everyman / The Story of Somebody (in another edition) more than 10 years ago, I knew nothing about Philip Roth (1933 - 2018). I still had about 3 of his books at home, but I hadn't bothered to look through them. I also didn't know that Everyman refers to a 15th-century allegorical play. My sharp passion for Roth's prose began with Sabbath's Theater and American Pastoral. By 2014, then...

Everyman both pleased and displeased me. Above all, I was struck by the narrator's erotic violence. Roth didn't use poetic allusions. He presented and named things directly. On the other hand, I liked the author's boldness in raising uncomfortable questions. This inclination put Nabokov out of his mind: "The novelist must deal with style and the structure of the book. The problem of death is not his business." The intolerant Nabokov was wrong. That doesn't mean I don't like Pnin or Invitation to a Beheading.

So, I read a sober text of dry propositions. But I would have preferred the author to treat death with more irony. Like in the poems of Carmina Burana, let's say. Much later I understood that this is probably the most appropriate tone. The years that pass ever faster and faster crush the smile on your lips. You can look at death as a necessary conclusion of a series of personal premises such as the following: the decline of the body, fatigue, glasses, wrinkles, swollen eyelids, increasingly difficult breathing, hospital, uninhibited ice assistants, doctors with plaster eyes, prohibitions (no sex, no smoking), exit...

In an interview, Philip Roth said something like this (I'm paraphrasing):

- I wrote a novel about death and the fact of dying. What more do you want? Don't get hung up on its black cover. And the cover of the Bible is black too...

- But it won't sell. Readers prefer brighter colors, "lighter" subjects. They want books that will amuse them, help them face "the waves of life", not dry statements about diseases, operations, aging, nursing homes and death. They don't want visits to the cemetery or conversations with wise grave diggers about the trade of digging a hole exactly according to the length and width of the deceased.

- This doesn't interest me, it never has...

I didn't transcribe the conversation literally, I put what (and how much) I understood from it, but I strictly preserved its spirit. The original text can be read, anyway, in The Guardian of 14 December 2005. Critics looked at the novel with reticence: "Yes, the lion's claw is felt. But the style is rather dry, lacking the vigor of the past. In addition, Roth asks too many rhetorical questions (here rhetorical means empty, senseless). It's repetitive."

*

For now, I leave you with this passage: "His father was going to lie not only in a coffin, but also under the weight of that earth and suddenly he saw his father's mouth as if there were no coffin at all, as if the earth they were throwing into the hole was being deposited directly on him, filling his mouth, blinding his eyes, stuffing his nose and plugging his ears."

And, since I finished the book and God, the very merciful, granted me one more day, I transcribe another passage: "He sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand in his, thinking: When you're young, the exterior of the body matters, how you look on the outside. When you get old, what's inside matters and people don't care anymore how you look." The episode with Millicent Kramer still seemed moving to me.

"Bet tikrovės nepakeisi <...> Susitaikyk su likimu. Laikykis ir susitaikyk su likimu. Kito kelio nėra." This statement implies that one should accept the reality and submit to fate.

It suggests that there is no other alternative but to come to terms with what is.

Perhaps it is a reminder that in the face of unchangeable circumstances, we should find a way to adapt and make the best of it.

Rather than fighting against the inevitable, we can choose to embrace it and move forward.

By accepting fate, we may find a sense of peace and stability within ourselves.

It allows us to focus on the present and make positive choices based on the situation at hand.

However, it is important to note that accepting fate does not mean giving up or being passive.

We can still strive for improvement and growth within the boundaries of what is possible.

It is about finding a balance between acceptance and action, and using our inner strength to navigate through life's challenges.

Everyman by Philip Roth

3.4/5
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My expectations were not high when I embarked on my first Roth read. His most renowned novels like Goodbye Columbus, American Pastoral, and Portnoy’s Complaint are widely known. However, Penguin Random House has this book ranked at No.2 on their list of best Philip Roth's books.

The story commences with the funeral of a prosperous advertising man. Present at the funeral are his sons from his first marriage, his daughter from another union, his ex-wives, and his brother. As the narrative unfolds, we gain more insights into this man's life - his childhood, marriages, and family relationships.

The novel and its subject matter are rather bleak. It evoked a similar feeling as when I read JM Coetzee's Disgrace. The protagonist is someone one doesn't particularly care for, a person whose personal life, especially with his children, is in disarray. But perhaps this is the harsh reality.

I would have preferred a greater emphasis on the family aspect in this relatively slim novel. In the opening pages, we learn that the sons didn't like their father while the daughter adored him. This could have been a more engaging story to tell, perhaps creating some conflict and drama at the funeral.

Overall, it's a decent read. Written in 2006 in his later years, the 60s - 90s seem to be his golden years. So, I'm not ready to give up on him just yet.

- Do you know what would do me good? - she said. - The sound of the voice that has disappeared.

Do you know what amazes me about Philip Roth? His absolute simplicity. It always seems as if you are reading the same story when you read a Roth novel. But it is never the same, even though ultimately it is always the same story of solitude, regret, powerful orgasms, and so on.

Roth's writing style is deceptively simple. He uses straightforward language and uncomplicated sentence structures to tell his stories. But beneath the surface, there is a depth and complexity that belies the simplicity of the prose.

His characters are vivid and real, and their struggles and desires are universal. Whether it is the loneliness of an aging man, the regret of a missed opportunity, or the passion of a sexual encounter, Roth manages to capture the essence of the human experience with remarkable accuracy.

In conclusion, while Philip Roth's novels may seem to be telling the same story over and over again, they are actually much more than that. They are a celebration of the human condition, a testament to the power of language, and a reminder that even in the simplest of stories, there is always something new to discover.

Philip Roth's roman offers nothing novel.

It is instead a confrontation of the author with death, rationalized, in some way, by the aspiration to revive a disregarded medieval literary tradition, often by contemporaries.

The play commences when "Death" (personified) - proclaims to Everyman (a character symbolizing the entirety of humanity) - that time has elapsed, and he must ready himself for the great End.

Shocked, the man experiences diverse reactions: from denial - to fear, despair, and ultimately - to acceptance. Although he endeavors to convince other characters to accompany him on this path (Beauty, Knowledge, Power) - he is forsaken by all, and on this journey, he is accompanied only by "Good Acts" (the moralizing-Christian character of the play is quite evident).

To maintain the specificity of the piece, we are unaware of the protagonist's name, - who can, evidently, be anyone.

Roth's narrative appears to possess a reverse morality: we all have a death, yet the more immortal is how we lead our lives.

"Everyman" - need not be a tale of death, but rather one of life. That is why Roth initiates with the character's death and then reverts to life.

It is not significant that a man passed away, but that a man lived.