American Pastoral: American Trilogy 1 (Pulitzer Prize Winner) (American Trilogy, #1) (Vintage International)

by Philip Roth

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From one of the most acclaimed writers of the twentieth century—a compulsively readable elegy for America’s promises of prosperity, civic order, and domestic bliss, and "one of Roth's most powerful novels ever" (The New York Times).

Here is Philip Roth's masterpiece, featuring Nathan Zuckerman and the story of Swede Levov, a legendary athlete at his Newark high school, who grows up in the booming postwar years to marry a former Miss New Jersey, inherit his father's glove factory, and move into a stone house in the idyllic hamlet of Old Rimrock. And then one day in 1968, Swede's beautiful American luck deserts him.

For Swede's adored daughter, Merry, has grown from a loving, quick-witted girl into a sullen, fanatical teenager—a teenager capable of an outlandishly savage act of domestic terrorism. And overnight Swede is wrenched out of the longed-for American pastoral and into the indigenous American berserk. Compulsively readable, propelled by sorrow, rage, and a deep compassion for its characters, American Pastoral gives us Philip Roth at the height of his powers.

• ISBN10: 0375701427
• ISBN13: 9780375701429
• Publish Date: 3 February 1998 (first published 1 January 1997)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 13 July 2011
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Random House USA Inc
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780375701429

Reviews

[thepunktheory]

To be honest, this novel was not quite what I expected. The actual plot of this book can be summarized in about 10 sentences without leaving anything out. Philip Roth's novel is not plot driven, it's a character study. We dive deep into Swede Levov's soul, learn where he comes from, what he's up to, why he decides the way he does. When his daughter plants the bomb and vanishes we still don't have the focus on her. It's all about the Swede, contemplating if the girl who did it is really his daughter.
Let this be a warning for you. Although American Pastoral had some interesting takes at some points, for the most part it was just dragging on. Especially the beginning almost made me quit the book! There are about 50 pages full of other people talking about the Swede before we even get close to the main character himself.
What really annoys me is when Philip Roth tries to make a point. Several times throughout the book I found myself thinking "I understand why he's describing this, but it still bores me to death". For example you get a very thorough inside in glove-making. Now I know more about gloves than I ever wanted to hear. That happened about 5 times...
So, although this book seems to be super popular, I have to say I didn't enjoy it. There may be some interesting points but also many clichés and simply annoying and boring parts that will make you want to throw the novel out of the window.
I had wished for something more going on, for more inside in Merry's mind.

Unfortunately I have to say this book annoyed me almost from the first page to the last. There are some topics that have potential to be interesting but ultimately Philip Roth loses himself in the thoughts of one man.