Philip Roth

State: New Jersey

Philip Milton Roth (1933–2018) was an American novelist and short-story writer whose works profoundly shaped twentieth-century literature. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, he studied at Bucknell University and earned an MA in English from the University of Chicago. Roth’s breakout came with Goodbye, Columbus (1959), winning the National Book Award, followed by the controversial and iconic Portnoy’s Complaint (1969). His fiction often featured autobiographical alter egos like Nathan Zuckerman and examined Jewish-American identity, sexuality, and societal discontent. Major works include American Pastoral (Pulitzer Prize), The Human Stain, and The Plot Against America—a thought‑provoking alternate history. Roth received multiple National Book Awards, PEN/Faulkner Awards, National Humanities Medal, and the Man Booker International Prize, and was honored by the Library of America. Literary critic Harold Bloom described him as one of the greatest American novelists of his era. Roth retired in 2012 and left an enduring legacy with approximately 31 books blending humor, bravado, and moral insight.

Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Audiences: Adult