Yorumumu daha sonra gireceğim.

This simple sentence holds a certain mystery. It makes one wonder what the comment will be like. Will it be positive or negative? Will it be a detailed analysis or a brief thought?

Perhaps the person who wrote this sentence is still in the process of formulating their thoughts. They might need more time to gather their ideas and express them clearly.

Or maybe they are waiting for a particular moment or event to occur before sharing their comment. It could be that they want to see how things develop further before passing judgment.

In any case, the anticipation of the comment adds an element of curiosity. We are left wondering what will be said and how it will impact the situation or the discussion at hand.

Only time will tell when the comment will be entered and what it will entail. Until then, we can only wait and speculate.

Ma di che ti lamenti Alex Portnoy?

You are the favored heir of a normal family that pours almost all of its affection, attention, and expectations onto you. A family that enjoys a moderate well-being and has not experienced premature losses.

You belong to the people that the Almighty has designated as chosen among all.

The chosen people who, in truth, have had their share, but your far-sighted grandparents thought it wise to emigrate from some flea-ridden shtetl in Eastern Europe, thus sparing you some pogroms and an almost certain Holocaust.

And yet you still complain?

And where do your provident grandparents go to procreate your parents who will give birth to you? To the United States of America, the land of abundance, freedom, and opportunity. Moreover, to New York, a beautiful, cultured, and cosmopolitan city, the "compendium mundi".

And you have the courage to complain?

You are born in the 1930s, you experience only victories, an ascent in well-being in a society that is absolutely sure of infinite growth and has not yet suffered disappointments.

Given that you are not part of those 5 or 6 billion human beings who have it worse than you, effectively having all these fortunes does cause some inconvenience and the parent/child relationship is all the more intense and can have suffocating, blackmailing, castrating results.

Has anyone else ever experienced the famous scene of coming home very late, without prior notice and guiltlessly unharmed: “I didn't close my eyes all night because of anxiety, because of anguish....an accident.....a fight. I thought of everything....., Unconscious! Irresponsible! Selfish! Didn't you think even a little bit of your mother and how sick she was?”.

And the good son – like Portnoy raised under the glass bell – has not developed enough hair on his stomach to respond “but who asked you to worry, it's not my fault....it's your problem....and then...nothing happened, here it seems almost like you're really angry about this and for having “wasted” all this apprehension....”, but instead sediments feelings of guilt that explode at a distance, just like with Alex Portnoy.......so much so that it forces him to go to the psychiatrist to understand something, despite his 158 IQ.

In general, the prevalent object of Portnoy's lament – from a parent's point of view – is not at all simple: reassuring/supporting the offspring while avoiding the harmful effects of excessive emotional investment is a nice square the circle. I don't know how you all solved it..... I have adopted a simple criterion: do exactly the opposite of what my parents did with me. We'll see the results over time.....

Sorry for the personal digression, but on the other hand the “Lament” lends itself.....Coming back to the book, I would define it as a “seminal” work (in the strict sense) for Philip Roth and as such imperfect and partial but of which all the heroes/anti-heroes who will come after will be in some way variations, in more articulated plots and in more complex perspectives.

Considered obscene upon its release, I think especially for the passages related to the “Monkey”, which today would be considered rather sexist and “politically incorrect”. I notice in this regard a sort of social, linguistic, and existential parabola between Portnoy and Coleman Silk and the 30 years that elapse between the two.

A great way to end 2014 of books with a reading all in one breath, full of moments of uncontrollable hilarity, in the tradition of the best of Woody Allen (for me that of Radio Days which has many points in common with the “Lament”).

The only Roth novel that I've read up to this point is quite an interesting one. I anticipate that his other works might be extremely different, perhaps more somber and serious compared to this particular one. However, I do vividly remember enjoying this book. It's truly a long rant of a novel, where the main character unloads a great deal of his inner baggage while conversing with his psychiatrist. He delves into his childhood traumas, disappointments, and issues with his parents. But mainly, he rambles on at great length about women, relationships, and his chaotic sex life.

It's a funny novel that made me smile quite often throughout, and I probably even chuckled a couple of times at some of the amusing scrapes he recounts and the early adolescent awkwardness that we can all relate to. To be honest, it's not really a plot-heavy kind of affair. Anyone seeking a lot of twists and turns and significant story progression would likely be better off reading something else.

My only genuine concern with the novel is that it could have been a bit shorter. By around page two hundred, it feels as if everything has already been said and the story could be wrapped up. Yet, it continues for approximately seventy more pages, which became a bit of a drag. Overall, I would say that anyone who enjoys a good laugh and doesn't mind a fair amount of intimate sexual details presented in a humorous way will probably really take a liking to this early work of Roth's. And I wouldn't mind exploring some more of his books at some point to see if his later works are any good.

This book is so visceral that I can't believe it's not autobiographical, at least the part that refers to family, Jewish origins, and all the shortcomings that stem from that. Because, if we are to believe the author, it's really bad to be a Jew in the US, and from this have sprung many, many angry pages in which the main character tells, shouts, and vents his frustrations.

As for the sexual life of the same character, it has made me burst out laughing (who the hell would think of having sex with a raw piece of liver?), feel horror, and pity. Pity because we are dealing with a deeply unhappy and tormented man who, although he desires a family and children, remains trapped in the quagmire of impossible-to-satisfy sexual desires.

In short: oy, oy, oy, Portnoy...

P.S. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't understand the final point. Can someone help me?

In the first reading, I focused on the gender aspect. In the second reading, I emphasized the "perfectionist family drama" that I observed and felt in the geography where I lived. It is still a book that I really like, especially in the sense that the second look gives birth to the first look. On the other hand, I cannot help but be amazed at Philip Roth's writing of both "The Dying Animal" and "Portnoy's Complaint".

This work of literature offers a rich exploration of various themes. The gender dynamics add depth to the story, while the portrayal of the family drama is both relatable and thought-provoking. Roth's ability to capture the essence of human experiences and emotions is truly remarkable.

Each character in the book is vividly drawn, and their actions and decisions drive the narrative forward. The settings are also described in great detail, creating a vivid backdrop for the story to unfold. Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in literature and the exploration of the human condition.

Portnoy's Complaint (1969) by Philip Roth is, according to the cover, "hysterically funny". However, this claim doesn't quite hold up. It's at best mildly amusing, and that too only very sporadically. As expected, it also comes with the era's unreconstructed and anachronistic social attitudes. One or two passages might have the potential to be funny if they were delivered by Woody Allen or a character in Seinfeld, but that's about the extent of it.

It's a rather laborious read. Some sections are fairly interesting or entertaining, but the majority is just tedious. There's one long monologue that is both meandering and whiny. Portnoy's Complaint? Roth definitely got that part right. It's one rambling, repetitive complaint to a therapist. The neurotic and Jewish Portnoy attempts to reconcile his raging libido with his strict family background. This leads to a lot of tales of obsessive teenage "whacking off" through descriptions of sex with various partners, and his relationship with his family, complete with a stereotypical Jewish mother. A charitable interpretation might conclude that this is all a vehicle for an exploration into identity, religion, and culture, and one which was, apparently, considered shocking and groundbreaking in 1969. But surely, there must be a more interesting and entertaining way to achieve that end result.

2/5

The blurb...

The famous confession of Alexander Portnoy, who is thrust through life by his unappeasable sexuality, yet held back at the same time by the iron grip of his unforgettable childhood. Hilariously funny, boldly intimate, startlingly candid, Portnoy’s Complaint was an immediate bestseller upon its publication in 1969, and is perhaps Roth’s best-known book.

I can understand why some readers might have nothing to say about this book other than to label it as vulgar. To be honest, that's not my gripe. What truly bothers me is a different aspect: it is simply wearisome.

After reading two or three chapters, I was initially engaged. A Jewish boy growing up discovers masturbation, and it takes over his life, yet he feels guilty about it. This premise holds promise and is even somewhat funny.

However, as the boy matures, his fixation shifts from masturbation (at least solely) to sex. And here's the crucial point: HE NEVER EVOLVES. This man never develops into a complete, well-rounded individual, and the women in the novel are reduced to nothing more than sex objects for him. It is this, more than anything else, that truly disgusts me.

My advice: whether it's famous or not, it's best to skip this one.

Philip Roth was one of the writers I was able to read after he passed away. (Of course, there was an error in the narration here, after the writer passed away, it was not me ^.^) "Portnoy's Complaint" was also one of the funniest, most vulgar, and most realistic novels I had read in a long time :).

And how comic and how similar Jewish mothers are to us in terms of child-rearing.

Behind all this humor, Roth actually presents with very tragic details what being Jewish means for a child growing up in the US. And the discrimination that the Jewish mother, who has suffered so much discrimination, shows to the black helper who comes to clean the house is also very familiar, isn't it?

Zeno Cosini in acido.

Dissacrante, ossessivo, complesso. It's a work that is full of boldness and complexity.

Chissà come dev’essere stato leggerlo nel ’69. Back then, it might have been an absolute bombshell, challenging the norms and conventions of that era.

Oggi è di certo meno sconvolgente sentir parlare di sesso, famiglia e tradizioni ebraiche in maniera così radicale. However, today, although it may not have the same earth-shattering impact, it still manages to make one think deeply about these important aspects of life.

Qua e là c’è qualche momento meno godibile o non del tutto riuscito. Of course, here and there, there are some moments that are less enjoyable or not entirely successful.

A tratti lo segui a stento nei suoi voli pindarici. At times, it can be a bit of a struggle to follow its lofty flights of fancy.

Tutto il resto è decisamente notevole. [75/100] But overall, the rest of it is definitely remarkable and worthy of attention. It's a work that has its flaws, but also its shining moments, and it leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

What to say? It is a seminal novel, both for the amount of seeds it scatters on each single page and for the influence it has generated on many subsequent authors (and I'm not just thinking of "The Lament of the Prepuce" or the screenwriters of "Mrs. Meisel", but also our Francesco Piccolo has been fully inspired by Roth's fixations, unfortunately for him without having a gram of his writing ability).

I have never given much credit to Roth as a Great American Author (perpetually vying for the Nobel). Of his works, I had only read "American Pastoral" (3 stars, I liked it but it didn't convince me) and in the very distant 1987, "Goodbye Columbus" (only that I didn't realize it was the same Roth, because I had an edition that was absurdly called "Tony's Girl"). But being a fanatic of biographies, I started the one that Bailey dedicated to him (also in English, to avoid any effort

Pure filth and various psychological complexes often plague a man, especially when it comes to his relationship with his mother. This complex dynamic can have a profound impact on his life and well-being.

Additionally, the whole Jewish stress and anxiety can further exacerbate these issues. The cultural and historical context of the Jewish people may bring unique pressures and challenges that contribute to a sense of unease.

Understanding and addressing these psychological complexes and stressors is crucial for the man's personal growth and mental health. It may involve exploring his past, confronting his emotions, and seeking appropriate support and therapy.

By delving into these complex issues, the man can begin to untangle the web of his psychological turmoil and find a path towards healing and self-acceptance.

Keşke ergeninden yetişkinine herkes okusa bu kitabı