American Pastoral by Philip Roth is a Pulitzer prize winner that was on a list of books that should be read.
Started: 8/20/2019
Completed: 8/26/2019
Recommendation: Not Recommended
Recommended By: A list of top books to read before you die
Review:
The author does a great job of contrast throughout the book. For example after envisioning the scene of a rape, the author offers a contrasting view of the innocence of the woman as a young child, "[a] body that looks quickly put on after having been freshly ironed--no folds anywhere."
Having said that, while the author pursues great detail in some areas, far too many lines of the story are left entirely disjoint and one repeatedly wonders to what extent the story would be true to the characters themselves. This is a literary device in two ways: the story is non-linear and it is a projection of the narrator's opinion of other characters motives. This makes it a story within a story and seems to be the narrator's collection of theories offered in a disorganized matter. To my mind, this detracts from the story itself and lessons the value of the book to me, though it may increase the literature value.
The person who read the book (I listened to an audio version), Ron Silver, did an excellent job of interpreting the patois of the male Jewish narrator and really made the book seem like it was being told rather than read. He did an excellent job.
In the end, I read books for enjoyment. I like to be immersed in the story. Even a difficult story can be immersive. While I also like the way a story is told, I am not fond of literary style for its own sake. As a result, I did not find this book and found myself frequently isolated from the narrative as I tried to figure out what was happening (not understanding a complex series of events as in a mystery, which can be enjoyable, but trying to find some link to associate events which seemed displaced in time and place without any help from the narrator). I cannot recommend this book.
Review:
The author does a great job of contrast throughout the book. For example after envisioning the scene of a rape, the author offers a contrasting view of the innocence of the woman as a young child, "[a] body that looks quickly put on after having been freshly ironed--no folds anywhere."
Having said that, while the author pursues great detail in some areas, far too many lines of the story are left entirely disjoint and one repeatedly wonders to what extent the story would be true to the characters themselves. This is a literary device in two ways: the story is non-linear and it is a projection of the narrator's opinion of other characters motives. This makes it a story within a story and seems to be the narrator's collection of theories offered in a disorganized matter. To my mind, this detracts from the story itself and lessons the value of the book to me, though it may increase the literature value.
The person who read the book (I listened to an audio version), Ron Silver, did an excellent job of interpreting the patois of the male Jewish narrator and really made the book seem like it was being told rather than read. He did an excellent job.
In the end, I read books for enjoyment. I like to be immersed in the story. Even a difficult story can be immersive. While I also like the way a story is told, I am not fond of literary style for its own sake. As a result, I did not find this book and found myself frequently isolated from the narrative as I tried to figure out what was happening (not understanding a complex series of events as in a mystery, which can be enjoyable, but trying to find some link to associate events which seemed displaced in time and place without any help from the narrator). I cannot recommend this book.
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