It is difficult to judge this book because, while Roth's talent as a writer remains beyond dispute, the entire subject matter of the book is obsessively concentrated on Judaism, Semitism, and anti-Semitism. From the concentration camps to Woody Allen, from the Intifada to the diaspora, from the founding of the state of Israel to Freud: everything is subjected to dissertation with pro and con arguments in which the various characters debate, rant, shout, assume the role of victims, self-criticize, and contradict themselves; all in a Judeocentric conception of the world and thought that may be in the author's mind but, for the non-Jewish reader, becomes a source of tiresome and monotonous pamphleteering.

One arrives at the end of the book with some difficulty because Philip Roth's writing style is undoubtedly captivating and, above all, because one hopes (in vain) that the theme of the double, which represents the most interesting and universal element of the story and is very developed in the first part, will gain the predominance in this "Operation Shylock." Instead, the opposite happens: Philip 2 practically disappears from the scene halfway through the book and the debates on Israel never end!

Obsessive and witty, the exploration of Jewish and Palestinian identity presented in the work is indeed thought-provoking. However, I find myself not fully buying into the exploration of identity per se. The crux of the problem lies with the characters. They seem to function more effectively as mere conduits for thought rather than as fully fleshed-out humans. They lack that essential vitality, that sense of breathing life. As a result, imagining all the ways in which they might be illusions doesn't really stir up much excitement. The writer, Philip Roth, astutely points out how "flat" the diasporist detective Philip Roth is. But he should, at some point, direct that same incisive critique towards himself. After all, it is through self-reflection and self-critique that true growth and a more profound understanding of the human condition can be achieved.

This work, while having its merits in exploring complex themes, falls short in creating characters that truly engage and resonate with the reader on a deeper emotional level. Perhaps with a more nuanced and empathetic approach to character development, the exploration of identity could have been even more impactful and engaging.

The protagonist this time is simply named Philip Roth. It gives us the impression that it is a more autobiographical novel. Surely, it delves into Roth's most significant theme: Jewish life and identity. In the background lies the story of John Demjanjuk, the supposed concentration camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.

However, what further questions Philip Roth's identity is the presence of an imposter who claims to be him. The lookalike aims to save Israel from annihilation, using Philip Roth's identity for his cause, a cause that Philip Roth apparently isn't overly involved in. The book is complex, and halfway through, there is even a summary. It addresses all the themes we are familiar with from Philip Roth's works.

If you have a love for Philip Roth (as I do), this book is an absolute must. It is truly brilliant. It offers a deep exploration of identity, Jewish life, and the various complex issues that Roth has always been known for addressing in his writing. The addition of the imposter adds an extra layer of intrigue and mystery, making the reading experience even more engaging and thought-provoking.

Old review below -

new review after rereading is here

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've been quite vocal about my negative views on Philip Roth. I've called him a sexist fucker, which is really just the standard criticism. He has this knack for getting under my skin. I endured reading "American Pastoral" and "Sabbath's Theatre", and oh my, what drivel! Sure, he can craft a remarkable sentence and make the English language dance with elegance, like a five ball juggler. He's annoyingly talented in that regard. But it's a pity that he can't come up with a half-decent story that has some semblance of humanity. However, "Operation Shylock" is the book that reveals a different side of Roth. If you haven't read it, let me tell you, it's a hoot for those who aren't fans of Roth. The concept of this crazy novel is that one day, Philip Roth is reading the New York Times and is shocked to discover that he's been on a speaking tour in Israel for the entire month. But of course, he's been in New York all along. It turns out there's someone impersonating him in Israel, spreading a wild idea called Diasporism. This idea goes something like this: "Jews! Get out of Israel now! Are you crazy, coming here to Israel? Now you're all in one convenient small country, surrounded by your enemies. What do you think's going to happen? Get back to Germany and Poland! They're the safest places for Jews now! Go on, scram! Now!" So Philip Roth boards a plane to track down the other Philip Roth, and much hilarity unfolds. Yes, it's a black comedy. What other types of comedies are worth reading? Are there any white comedies? I give this book five big stars.

A great novel, a dazzling game of fiction and reality that contains interesting ideas about the Jewish problem, about the Holocaust, about the conflict between Jews and Palestinians, but very far from clichés and political correctness.

Roth's works always manage to capture the essence of complex issues and present them in a thought-provoking way. His writing is both engaging and profound, drawing readers into a world where they can explore different perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.

In this particular novel, Roth delves into the sensitive topics of the Jewish experience with a rare honesty and courage. He doesn't shy away from the difficult questions or the uncomfortable truths, but instead confronts them head-on, inviting readers to do the same.

Overall, this is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, history, or the human experience. Roth's talent as a writer shines through on every page, making this novel a truly remarkable and unforgettable work.

3.5 stars.

So, I read this book rather quickly. It was a required read for my rather crazy class, and I didn't realize I had to finish it until one day before. At that time, I was only around 70 pages in.

And I have to say, it was a pretty cool read. The best aspect of it was how it managed to hold my interest throughout. I found myself not only reading because I had to for the class, but also because I truly wanted to know what the heck was going on. (Although I didn't actually get any definite answers. Heh-heh.) I think that's always a significant factor in determining the quality of any book.

As I had anticipated, this book centered on many of the themes we've been exploring in class, such as doubles, materiality, and paratext, to name just a few. However, I'm not going to elaborate on any of these because we've just started discussing this book, and also because this is the type of book that you have to approach with an open mind and just let yourself be freely influenced.

So, overall, it was a very decent read.

The text is so exciting, appealing, ironic, self-ironic, with extensive discourses, interpretations and re-interpretations. It is written with a sparkle of intelligence. After the inevitable end, it was very difficult for me to give it up.

This piece of writing seems to have a certain charm that attracts the reader. The use of words such as "incitantă" (exciting), "solicitanta" (appealing), "ironică" (ironic) and "autoironica" (self-ironic) adds a layer of complexity and depth to the text.

The extensive discourses, interpretations and re-interpretations make the reader think and engage with the content. The writing is also described as "sclipitor de inteligent scrisă" (written with a sparkle of intelligence), which implies that it is not only interesting but also shows a certain level of intellectual sophistication.

Overall, the text leaves a strong impression on the reader, making it difficult to let go even after it has come to an end.

Interesting for sure but so dense. It feels like there is a wealth of information packed into every sentence.

And long! The length of the text can be a bit overwhelming at times.

And a little repetitive. Some of the ideas seem to be repeated over and over again, which can make it a bit tiresome to read.

However, despite these drawbacks, there is still a lot of value in the article. The dense nature of the text means that there are many details and nuances that can be explored.

The length also allows for a more in-depth examination of the topic.

And the repetition, while a bit annoying, can also serve to emphasize certain key points.

Overall, it's a challenging but rewarding read that requires some effort on the part of the reader to fully understand and appreciate.

I noticed it in the middle!

What work did I have in the Jewish tribes, in their differences and in other such things.

Perhaps some people might be interested but for us... outside the things were very hard to understand!

I found myself in a rather strange situation when I was dealing with these aspects related to the Jewish tribes.

Their differences seemed quite complex and at times, it was a real challenge to make sense of it all.

While some might have a natural curiosity about such matters, for me, it was more of a struggle to comprehend.

The whole experience made me realize how diverse and sometimes puzzling different cultures and their characteristics can be.

It was an eye-opening encounter that left me with a sense of wonder and a desire to learn more about the intricacies of the Jewish tribes and their unique qualities.

Philip Roth is widely regarded as one of the most significant authors of the 20th and 21st centuries. His works have explored a wide range of themes, from the Jewish American experience to the nature of identity and sexuality. One of his most fascinating and controversial novels is "Operation Shylock: A Confession."

This novel blurs the lines between fact and fiction, as Roth inserts himself as the protagonist and embarks on a wild and absurd adventure. The story begins with Roth learning that he is apparently in Israel, involved in a strange and convoluted plot. Along the way, he encounters a host of characters, including a double of himself, government agents, and spies.

The book is filled with Roth's trademark wit and intelligence, as well as his willingness to explore the darker and more uncomfortable aspects of human nature. It is a meditation on the nature of truth, the power of storytelling, and the role of the artist in society. "Operation Shylock" is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are willing to take the plunge, it is a rewarding and unforgettable read.

Overall, "Operation Shylock" is a testament to Roth's genius as a writer. It is a bold and ambitious work that challenges the reader to question their own assumptions about reality and fiction. Whether you love or hate Philip Roth, this book is sure to make an impression and leave you thinking long after you have turned the final page.

The first stop on my exploration of literary authors is Philip Roth. I chose to begin here as I anticipated liking Roth the least. No one truly defends how he portrays women anymore. What I presumed were efforts at humor simply didn't resonate with me, and the narration seemed repetitive. Overall, I'm unsure of my feelings while reading most of it. There's so much happening that it's overwhelming. However, every now and then, a passage or interaction would strike me, even if I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Fully addressing everything would likely require a dissertation from someone who truly understands the book, not me. But here's my best shot.

The novel, which Roth insists is a nonfiction confessional, commences with Roth as a cantankerous and somewhat lecherous author. After a post-surgery prescription painkiller-induced mental breakdown, he immediately departs from his home in the US to pursue a mysterious doppelganger through the streets of Israel. His aim is to discover who this double is and prevent him from making the real Roth the face of anti-zionist disaporism. Roth's double fears that the conflict upon which the state of Israel is founded will lead to a second Holocaust of the Jewish people, either physically or spiritually. Roth himself doesn't necessarily disagree but doesn't seem overly concerned. The second Roth isn't the only duality present; doubles and internal contradictions are abundant. There's an old Palestinian school friend of Roth's who has become a resistance leader, an Israeli soldier burdened with guilt for his actions against Palestinians, a Mossad agent who ambivalently dreams of the day he'll be held accountable for his deeds, an alleged Ukrainian Nazi uprooted from his idyllic white picket fence life by a war crimes trial, and Roth's doppelganger who, even after the initial layer of deceit is peeled away, still has the potential to be a Mossad psyop.

Despite all this, it's much less of a thriller than I expected. Instead, it plods along slowly through Roth's repetitive thoughts about his surroundings and memories. But once I grasped that this was the point of the novel, I began to enjoy it a great deal more. There isn't a lot of forward momentum, but the characters Roth encounters in his wanderings raise questions about the state of Israel, identity, and the individual conscience in the face of a deluge of (dis)information. The Roth we follow in the book is an exhausted jerk, more interested in petty revenge than taking a stance on anything. However, the world he navigates demands a great deal of reflection from the reader, as it likely did for the real Roth himself. It feels like someone grappling with the subconscious detritus of their lived identity in an attempt to make sense of it all. I'd call it self-absorbed if Roth hadn't already anticipated this by naming his doppelganger "Moishe Pipik," or "Moses Bellybutton" in Yiddish.

"The whole content of my being shrieks in contradiction against itself. Existence is surely a debate." - Kierkegaard and Operation Shylock's epigraph

"Grandpa did not hail from Haifa—Grandpa came from Minsk. Grandpa wasn’t a Jewish nationalist—he was a Jewish humanist, a spiritual, believing Jew, who complained not in an antique tongue called Hebrew but in colorful, rich, vernacular Yiddish." - Moishe Pipik and Philip Roth

Philip Roth, the renowned writer, encounters an impersonator who also goes by the name Philip Roth in his captivating work of fiction, Operation Shylock. Instead of simply labeling it as a novel, Roth refers to it as "a confession", and rightfully so. It is a wild, feverish, and dark comedy that unfolds at a thrilling pace, filled with Roth's mesmerizing monologues of philosophical speculations.

After recovering from months of psychological instability caused by prescription sleeping pills that nearly pushed Roth the writer to the edge of suicidal madness, he discovers the existence of Roth the impersonator. This other individual, who looks identical to him, has been traveling across Israel, promoting a concept called "Diasporism", which urges Jews to abandon Zionism and return to their European countries of origin.

Annoyed and alarmed by someone assuming his identity as a famous writer to spread such strange rhetoric about Jews reversing the exodus and relocating to Europe, Roth the writer sets off to Jerusalem to track down and put an end to his nemesis, Roth the impersonator. When they finally come face to face, the situation takes an unexpected turn, leading both of them in directions they could not have predicted.

What follows is a raucous adventure where the schemes and machinations of both Roths reveal the shallowness and delusions of the other. However, Roth himself is not solely focused on the fate of his two Roth characters. He is also passionate about examining the hypocrisy and crimes that stem from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By using figures that embody aspects of "Philip Roth", Roth offers a comprehensive perspective on the current and historical dilemmas that fuel the cycle of bloodshed between Israel and the occupied territories of Palestine. Roth is unwavering and unrestricted in his pursuit of every grievance and injustice, holding both sides accountable for the stalemate that hinders peace.

Even though Roth's verbose style can sometimes feel overwhelming as he covers his subject matter so comprehensively, his narrative is so exhilarating and immersive that it leaves readers in awe of his genius. This crazy journey of "a confession" in Operation Shylock compels us to ponder and admire the commitment that drives Roth's quest for truth, a mission that takes his characters to the verge of their own sanity.