Philip Roth: The Biography

Blake Bailey's biography of Philip Roth, "The Life of Philip Roth," is a definitive and captivating account of the American master's life and career. Based on extensive research and interviews with Roth and his friends, colleagues, and lovers, the book provides a detailed portrait of Roth's journey from a lower-middle-class Jewish milieu to literary fame.

Format: Hardback
Length: 912 pages
Publication date: 08 April 2021
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

In his captivating book, "Philip Roth: Unmasking the American Master", Blake Bailey delves into the life and work of the renowned American author Philip Roth. Appointed by Roth himself and granted complete access and independence, Bailey spent years poring over Roth's personal archive, conducting extensive interviews with his friends, lovers, and colleagues, and engaging in breathtakingly candid conversations with the author himself. The result is an indelible portrait of an American master and of the post-war literary scene.

Bailey takes readers on a journey through Roth's life, from his humble beginnings in a lower-middle-class Jewish milieu to his ascent to literary fame. He explores how Roth's career was nearly derailed by his catastrophic first marriage and how he overcame personal setbacks to champion the work of dissident novelists behind the Iron Curtain. Bailey examines Roth's rivalrous friendships with Saul Bellow, John Updike, and William Styron, shedding light on the complex dynamics of their relationships. He also delves into the truths of Roth's florid love life, culminating in his almost-twenty-year relationship with actress Claire Bloom, who pilloried Roth in her 1996 memoir, "Leaving a Doll's House."

Through his meticulous research and insightful analysis, Bailey traces Roth's path from realism to farce to metafiction to the tragic masterpieces of the American Trilogy. He explores Roth's engagement with nearly every aspect of post-war American culture, from politics to popular culture to the Jewish-American experience. "Philip Roth: Unmasking the American Master" is a masterful work of literary biography that offers a fresh and revealing perspective on one of the greatest writers of our time.

This book has received widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers praising Bailey's meticulous research, insightful analysis, and ability to bring Roth's life and work to life. It has been selected as a "Book of 2021" by numerous publications, including the "Observer", "Guardian", "Financial Times", "Sunday Times", "Evening Standard", "Spectator", and "New Statesman".

In conclusion, "Philip Roth: Unmasking the American Master" is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, history, and the American experience. Blake Bailey's captivating book offers a fresh and revealing perspective on one of the greatest writers of our time, and it is sure to captivate readers for years to come.

Weight: 1628g
Dimension: 173 x 245 x 63 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780224098175