America is commonly regarded as a powerful country founded on the principles of freedom and equality. In fact, the Declaration of Independence of the United States, written by prominent individuals such as Thomas Jefferson, recognized the rights to life and freedom as inalienable and divinely given. Thus, the Constitution of the United States was drafted based on individual freedoms and the pursuit of safeguarding them.

In the book "My Communist Husband" or its original title "I Married a Communist", American author Philip Roth presents a different picture of America. In fact, the America in his book is not much different from the era of the Red Scare in Europe. The author focuses on a period in American history that is generally unknown to the public and often forgotten in the shadow of other events and disasters. When the fight against communism became a pretext for American conservatives led by McCarthy and Richard Nixon to impose their moral and value systems on American society.

What we read in Roth's book is both the systematic and organized actions of government agencies and organizations to learn about people's political beliefs and their attempts to accuse intellectuals and artists, and the efforts of the people to expel intellectuals from society. An effort that has its roots in ignorance, and there are many people who have no knowledge of communism but, due to the excessive power of the media in America, feel that communism may be a threat to the American dream, American life, and the American way. In this situation, opponents are singled out, and the media, their friends, and relatives search for the dark spots in their lives. Since these people usually have either an unorthodox relationship, or an open financial record, or a dissent during the military service, or an opinion not very carefully considered in their past, their crimes suddenly become exaggerated, and the society and the system begin to deal harshly with them. These people usually lose their jobs, and it becomes difficult for them to find a new one. Their families also usually abandon them, and not only do they separate from them, but they also give interviews or even publish books that serve as a very convenient pretext for the harsh and deadly attacks of the media on these people.

The fate of the hero of the book Philip Roth is the same: being fired from work, family, society, individual isolation, illness, and waiting for a miserable death.

In conclusion, it must be said that Philip Roth in "My Communist Husband" tells the story of an individual opponent of the system, an individual story that only falls due to his opposition to the zeitgeist of his time, showing a corner of democracy and freedom in the American way of life.

Excellent. I've only recently discovered this writer, and I'm truly amazed. I can't wait to read more of his works! It's an absolute fantastic read. In fact, it's one of the best cold war novels I've read in years.

Just imagine being wrongly accused of being a Communist. The impact it would have on your life is simply staggering. You would be ostracized by the community, shunned by those around you. Even your nearest and dearest would start to mistrust you. And then, when your name is finally cleared, the nagging doubts and suspicions still linger. Life will never be the same again.

Philip Roth is indeed a genius. His ability to create such a vivid and engaging story, filled with complex characters and intense emotions, is truly remarkable. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good cold war thriller.

When we talk about Communism, of course (otherwise why use such a title). But once I put the book down, I asked myself if, in reality, it wouldn't be more correct to talk about the Ideal. What is, after all, what all the characters in the novel (even the extras) pursue if not an Ideal? And which one, among the many possible, if not the one of giving shape to one's own life, making it more similar to one's personal vision, purifying it from errors until resorting to a sterile masquerade? Is there an Ideal more worthy than this? Is there an Ideal more utopian than this?

Perhaps the concept of Communism in this context is intertwined with the broader idea of an Ideal. The characters seem to strive for something greater, something that transcends the ordinary. They are in search of a way to make their lives meaningful and purposeful. But in this pursuit, they also face many challenges and dilemmas. The Ideal they seek may be elusive and difficult to achieve. It may require sacrifices and compromises. Yet, they continue to pursue it, driven by an inner force that compels them to strive for something better.

As I reflect on this, I realize that the question of whether to talk about Communism or the Ideal is perhaps not as important as the recognition that both represent a human longing for something more. Whether it is a political ideology or a personal vision, the pursuit of an Ideal is what gives meaning and direction to our lives. It is what makes us strive for excellence and不断超越自我. In the end, it is not the label we attach to our pursuit that matters, but the journey itself and the impact it has on our lives and the lives of those around us.

Painokas puheenvuoro vaikeasta ja herkästä aiheesta - amerikkalaisesta kommunismista.

I deliberately titled the book as a speech. In fact, in the book, there were two people reminiscing aloud: the Communist Iron Rinn's brother and the good old Nathan Zuckerman, the tireless critic of American dreams, and in this book, Rinn's apprentice in his youth.

Roth writes this time with an unusually intense and heavy touch. It was not an easy or conflict-free reading task. I don't recommend it without reservation, but I do recommend it to those who want to be surprised by how tirelessly Roth could still torture America in the later years of his literary career.

Nowadays, with his hair in a bun, he is in the artistic and wealthy circles of Manhattan, which Rinn on the one hand tries to turn around, and on the other hand, accepts everything that is offered in the name of love.

Roth's text passes like a self-awareness that sometimes caresses, but is even more skillful in finding reasons and defenses.

The second part of Roth's American pastoral trilogy is indeed political literature. About agitation, conviction, and bitterness. About communism, Jewish communism, the left-wing of artists, and the left-wing of workers. About the roasting and burning to ashes of ideas.

The wife, that is, the one in whose name My Husband Was a Communist was published, gets a scornful treatment from Roth. Eva's model is said to be Roth's ex-wife Claire Bloom. And even if one didn't know this truth, the book buzzes with purposeful atmospheres and disturbing female bitterness.

It is not a book without conflict in terms of themes or morality. But it is definitely a book worth reading and expanding one's horizons.

This is the second book in the loosely-named American Trilogy. Once again, it features Roth's alter ego Nathan Zuckerman, who either narrates or is told the majority of the story.

It all starts when Nathan is 14 and has a literature teacher named Murray Ringold, whom he admires. Through Murray, Nathan meets and is taken under the wing of Murray's younger brother Ira. Ira began as a ditch-digger in the 1930s and rose to become a radio star in the 1940s, and he married a Hollywood starlet, Eve Frame. However, everything falls apart for Ira (and indeed Murray and even Nathan) as the Cold War and the resulting anti-communist phobia tear through the entertainment industry and society in general. Eve publishes a damning biography of her time with Ira, titled 'I Married a Communist'.

Later in life, Nathan meets Murray, now in his 90s. Over a series of evenings, Murray tells Nathan the full story of Ira's life, marriage, and belief systems. Some of it was apparent to Nathan when he was under Ira's tutelage, but much of it was not. The book is a scathing expose of life in America during the 1930s-1950s, especially from the perspective of labor relations and the demonizing of any attempts to improve working conditions as the actions of Communist agitators rather than people with a genuine concern for the often appalling working conditions of mine and factory employees.

I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this one as much as American Pastoral. Interestingly, in a past edition of The Guardian Review, an article about Roth after his death summarized many of his books, but this one only received a passing mention. I was definitely glad to finish it and move on to something else. However, it won't stop me from reading other works by the author because there are usually several nuggets of pure inspiration when you sift through his books that make it all worthwhile - 6.5/10.

With this, I've now completed Philip Roth's The American Trilogy. Among them, I liked this one the least. In fact, I think it might be the least favorite among all Roth's novels that I've read, although it's rather challenging to make a direct comparison with works I read fifty years ago.

You won't get a detailed plot summary from me. Structurally, the novel presents an old man sharing the story of his brother (the eponymous Communist) with our author, who is always disguised as Nathan Zuckerman, over the course of six long nights. There are interesting segues throughout. For instance, this one from the old man to Zuckerman: "That a man has a lot of sides that are unbelievable is, I thought, the subject of your books. About a man, as you tell it, everything is believable." I jotted this down as it seemed like a profound statement, an author defining his own work. But then again, I'm not entirely sure.

And there was more self-deprecating writing. The old man said, "When God made all this stuff in seven days, the birds, the rivers, the human beings, he didn't have ten minutes for literature. 'And then there will be literature. Some people will like it, some people will be obsessed by it, want to do it...' No. No. He did not say that. If you had asked God then, 'There will be plumbers?' 'Yes, there will be. Because they will have houses, they will need plumbers.' 'There will be doctors?' 'Yes. Because they will get sick, they will need doctors to give them some pills.' 'And literature?' 'Literature? What are you talking about? What use does it have? Where does it fit in? Please, I am creating a universe, not a university. No literature.'"

Oh, and it's election season, in case you haven't noticed. And it was the same in the book. In one scene, the Communist (Ira Ringold) has a confrontation with his African-American maid (isn't that ironic enough for you?). Ira is found in the basement kitchen drying dishes while the maid, Wondrous, who served dinner, and her daughter Marva, who is about the same age as the narrator, are washing dishes in the double sink. Wondrous says to Ira, "I did not want to waste my vote, Mr. Ringold. I did not want to waste my precious vote." Ira then turns to the narrator and says, "Tell her. The woman won't believe me. I don't know why. You tell her about the Democratic Party. I don't know how a Negro woman can get it into her head that the Democratic Party is going to stop breaking its promises to the Negro race. I don't know who told her that or why she would believe him. Who told you, Wondrous? I didn't. Damn it, I told you six months ago--they are not going to bring an end to Jim Crow, your weak-kneed liberals of the Democratic Party. They are not and have never been partners of the Negro people! There was only one party in the election that a Negro could vote for, one party that fights for the underdog, one party dedicated to making the Negro in this country a first-class citizen. And it was not the Democratic Party of Harry Truman!" Wondrous replies, "I could not throw away my vote, Mr. Ringold. That's all I would be doing. Throwing it down the drain." There are perhaps a dozen ways this passage can resonate today. And isn't Wondrous wonderful?

This was, by a substantial amount, the weakest of the American Trilogy for me. The story, at times, felt a little dry and boring. It lacked the spark and excitement that I had expected.

However, it's important to note that Philip Roth still manages to hit some powerful moments within the narrative. His writing, as always, is thought-provoking and forces the reader to consider complex themes and ideas.

Despite its flaws, there are certain aspects of this book that are值得 exploring. Roth's ability to create vivid characters and his keen insights into human nature are still on display.

Overall, while this may not be the strongest installment in the trilogy, it still has its merits and is worth a read for fans of Roth's work.

I Married a Communist (The American Trilogy, #2) by Philip Roth is a captivating novel that delves into the rise and fall of Ira Ringold, also known as "Iron Rinn." The story is narrated by Nathan Zuckerman and is part of a trilogy of Zuckerman novels that Roth penned in the 1990s,描绘了战后新泽西州纽瓦克市及其居民的历史. Ira and his brother Murray have a profound impact on the school-age Zuckerman, and the narrative unfolds as a contemporary reminiscence between Murray and Nathan about Ira's life.

This novel was first read on August 20, 2015. It was published in 2013 by Niloufar in Tehran, with 424 pages and an ISBN of 9789644485824. The subject matter pertains to American fiction writers in the 20th century. "I Married a Communist" is a political work that has achieved high sales rankings. Roth in this work depicts the events of the great purges by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the second half of the 20th century, showing how the moralities of the conservative institutions in that movement, led by Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon, became a pretext for repression. a. Sharbiani

Roth is in peak form.

In this title, he truly captures the intense fire of youthful idealism and the corrosive cynicism that gradually strips it away.

How does the jaundice of maturity make those few who manage to retain their principles seem not only quaint but also pathetic?

What does it mean to endure the long series of barely noticeable rationalizations and capitulations that ultimately lead us into a seemingly workable adult life?

Is the coward or the demagogue more deserving of pity, and is our answer determined by something higher or simply by the normativity that stems from the more common recourse?

This book delves deep into all of these quandaries, yet it offers no obvious or straightforward answers.

It forces the reader to grapple with these complex and often uncomfortable questions, inviting them to reflect on their own beliefs, values, and the choices they make as they navigate the journey from youth to adulthood.

Roth's exploration of these themes is both thought-provoking and engaging, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the human condition.

Philip Roth is an essential figure in the global community of readers, and this book is no exception.

Ira, Murray, Eve, and the almost ever-present Nathan are unforgettable characters. Their interactions are set against the backdrop of a powerful political situation, which adds another layer of depth and complexity to the story.

Roth's ability to create such vivid and engaging characters, and to place them in a context that is both relevant and thought-provoking, is what makes his work so highly regarded.

Readers around the world continue to be drawn to his books, eager to explore the themes and ideas that he presents. Whether you are a long-time fan of Roth or new to his work, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Casei com um comunista is a novel that tells the story of two brothers, Ira and Murray. Ira and Murray lost their mother at a young age, with Ira being only 2 and Murray 8. Their father was unable to take care of them properly, and they had a rather unfriendly stepmother.

As the older brother, Murray chose a life of study and became a literature professor. However, Ira, over the course of nearly 50 years, never managed to find his path. With an irascible temperament, Ira made and lost friends, constantly clashed with himself and others, and was led down political paths that he didn't understand. In fact, he wasn't really a communist and didn't know how to be one. He was just a citizen in need of affection who sought refuge and, because of his admiration for a communist man, adopted his ideas and called himself a communist.

Murray, on the other hand, was educated and served as a protective father figure to Ira. He protected him, was complicit in all the follies Ira committed in life, gave him advice (though with little success), and provided him with affection and a home whenever Ira stumbled. Murray was a good man, a good father, a good husband, and a good professor. But he was fired from the university because he was Ira's brother.

The novel is supposedly written by a movie star, Ira's wife, who is flighty, vain, self-interested, and abandoned. She writes the story of her years married to Ira, associating him with the communist party, and gives Ira's letters and belongings, which contain dates, contacts, and connections to the party, to a couple of opportunists. The Grants see this as their opportunity to reach the White House by unmasking the party's cell. So, the wife, writer Katrina Grant, writes the book incriminating Ira and the communist party under the authorship of Ira's wife.

The movie star, who also has her own flaws, finds herself in a battle with a newspaper that publishes her personal life as told by Ira, who knew all her secrets. She is publicly confronted with her weaknesses and frauds and is judged by the public as a liar and a fraud. This is Ira's revenge, while the Grant family parades around the White House.

Throughout the book, several themes are portrayed. Education is shown as the best path to a better life, not just in a financial sense but also in understanding the world around us, understanding ourselves and others, reading our daily lives, and managing our abilities and desires. The Jewish community is also depicted, with some renouncing Judaism, hating Jews, and others being completely indifferent, born Jewish but living and dying as Americans. Italian neighborhoods are described, with people rising to the bourgeoisie and the highest positions in the community through the mafia, controlling public administration. The book also highlights the terrible fear that America has of communism, calling anyone who publicly protests against the government a communist in a country that advocates freedom of expression and thought, but where those who dare to think and express themselves differently from the government's policies suffer serious social consequences, as do those around them. It is quite curious that this book is written by an American.

The theme is about the persecution of communists in the United States in the period following World War II.

I have read some of his biography and knowing about Roth's marriage to the actress Claire Bloom which ended in a troubled way, one can understand that a lot of the actress is in Ira's wife, the main character of the novel.

Just like she had a daughter who the author managed to expel from the house. Just like she wrote a book in which she tracked down her husband.

The author is both the narrator Nathan Zuckerman and Ira himself.

The writing is brilliant as in "Pastoral Americana" but I thought the book was too long for what the author wanted to tell and with parts like that of the taxidermist and the stone collector that are dull and only serve to fill pages and contribute nothing to the story.

I took almost a month to read this book because there were several pages that didn't flow, especially around page 200. I saw on Goodreads that several people abandoned the book at that point.

I managed to finish it with some effort.

I inserted "Sleepwalk" by Mia Couto and "Helena" by Machado de Assis in the middle.

What I liked most about the book were the last sentences about the stars.

Patrimony - 4* - March 2012

The facts - 4* - August 2018

When she was good - 3* - August 2018

Pastoral Americana - 4* - August 2018