Philip Roth

Philip Roth is one of America's most renowned and influential authors, having been hailed as a national literary treasure since he first burst onto the literary scene in the 1960s. Roth's vast oeuvre examines the complexities of American identity, both on a personal level and on a larger social scale, through his characters' lives and experiences, earning him a Pulitzer Prize in 1997 and a National Book Award in 1960.

Roth was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1933, to a middle-class Jewish family. His parents urged him to pursue a career in law, but instead he completed his undergraduate degree in English at Bucknell University and both his master’s and doctoral degrees in English at the University of Chicago. After graduating, Roth moved to New York City, where he held writing and teaching jobs and began to write his first critical works.

Roth's seminal novel, Goodbye Columbus, was published in 1959, and his writing quickly became a sensation among the literary world. The collection of stories tells the story of an adolescence searching for identity and belonging, set in the Jewish community of Newark. Roth continued to explore themes of identity with films such as Portnoy’s Complaint (1969) and American Pastoral (1997).

The triumphs of American life have also been a regular theme in Roth's writing. His collection Sabbath’s Theater (1995) and The Plot Against America (2004) critique the traditional values and social norms of society. He has explored different religious rites in his works, such as The Counterlife (1986) and My Life as a Man (1974). The different choices one must make in their life and the consequences of these choices are also explored in novels such as Everyman (2006) and Exit Ghost (2007).

Roth has also explored the immigrant experience in the United States, with novels such as The Ghost Writer (1979) and The Plot Against America (2004). Roth's novels often focus on characters who feel disconnected from the conventional lines of society, and are determined to create meaning out of their particular experiences and identities. While his characters often struggle to come to terms with the different facets of their selves, Roth's novels provide a vivid portrayal of the variety of American life.

Roth has also been celebrated for his writing style and imaginative use of language. Known for its raw energy and sharp wit, Roth's distinctive voice has inspired generations of writers. His works have been translated into thirty different languages, and his literature has often been adapted for the stage and film. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal and the National Library Lifetime Achievement Award, Roth has influenced literature in profound ways, and his works will surely remain timelessly relevant.