Blurb reads:

Philip Roth's new novel is a candidly intimate yet universal story of loss, regret and stoicism. The best-selling author of 'The plot against America' now turns his attention form 'one family's harrowing encounter with history' (New York Times) to one man's lifelong skirmish with mortality.

The fate of Roth's everyman is traced from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers, through the family trials and professional achievements of his vigorous adulthood, and into his old age, when he is rended by observing the deterioration of his contemporaries and stalked by his own physical woes.

A successful commercial artist with a New York ad agency, he is the father of two sons from a first marriage who despise him and a faughter from a second marriage who adores him. He is the beloved brother of a good man whose physical well-being comes to arouse his bitter envy, and he is the lonely ex-husband of three very different women with whom he's made a mess of marriage. In the end he is a man who has become what he does not want to be.

The terrain of thsi powerful novel - Roth's twenty-seventh book and the fifth to be published in the twenty-first century - is the human body. Its subject is the common experience that terrifies us all.

Everyman takes its title form an anonymous fifteenth-century allegorical play, a classic of early English drama, whose theme is hte summoning of the living to death.

Sending out as a bookring. Participants are:

- CatharinaL
- livrecache (Australia)
- Jubby (Australia)

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted off to CatharinaL, along with another bookring.

Thanks! The book arrived this morning. I've been wanting to read this for some time now; I'll get to it asap.

Philip Roth is one of my all-time favorite contemporary writers and I knew I'd enjoy reading this! Everyman is not Nathan Zuckerman, not David Kepesh, not Alex Portnoy... I had a pretty clear idea of Roth's recent work (which is what I particularly like), but I still didn't quite know what to expect here.

This is an independent novel about the life & times, the life & death, the life awaiting death, of the anonymous protagonist, an 'ordinary' man. I loved it all the way; it draws much from Roth's previous books and, assumedly, his personal history as well. A strange, somber serenity compared to the overwhelming abundance of the 20th-century novels. And the overall elegance of structure! It leaves me quite speechless, yet I keep reeling the story in my head.

Masterly.

Thank you, jubby, for sharing this! I'll pass it on within January--back to Australia unless we find more Roth enthusiasts for the BookRing!

***

[29 Jan] The book is now on its way to livrecache! I'm using the economy rates; surface mail should arrive within a couple of weeks.

Everyman arrived safely today, together with the beautiful bookmark, which will remain with it on its return to Jubby.

I've been wanting to read this book for some time, so thanks so much CatharinaL and jubby. (I'm still blown away by the fact that books travel from one side of the world and back again! What a great community we are!)

I found this book to be excellently written, and as CatharinaL said, its structure is quite elegant but I found it a profoundly depressing book. However, it I think that says more about my state of mind than the author's intent.

Thanks for sharing, Jubby. I guess what I've taken from it that it's important to make each moment count as the inevitably of old age is just too scary for me to contemplate at the moment.

Well, it arrived home today. Although a little water-logged, this little book has travelled further then I ever have.

I am most jealous.

I had intended to pass this onto Xaddom when it arrived home, but I am in the process of finally doing a bit of travelling myself (but not as far as Finland). So, will chase that up when I get home.

Thank you CatharinaL for the bookmark also.

Now, would you believe that I read this book in one sitting, while I was meant to be doing something else one evening?

What an amazing story.
I only finished reading Roth's 'Zuckerman unbound' last night too, which is the story of author Nathan Zuckerman, and how he is (or isn't) coping with his new found fame after writing a novel about the sexual struggles of a young Jewish man (sound familiar?). And it has got me thinking, where does Roth the man end, and the protagonist begin?

Reality is obvious the starting point...

Anyway, there are several things that we all share in life: getting older, regrets, family obligations, integrity and dying.

Roth's character regrets leaving the love of his life, questions his relationship with his children, and how good a son he was.

But, even at his age and at his point in his life, he still has desires and ambitions. But, these are underminded by his health and life really.

A thought provoking and incredible read.

I am still thinking about it.

Now, would you believe that I read this book in one sitting, while I was meant to be doing something else one evening?

What an amazing story.
I only finished reading Roth's 'Zuckerman unbound' last night too, which is the story of author Nathan Zuckerman, and how he is (or isn't) coping with his new found fame after writing a novel about the sexual struggles of a young Jewish man (sound familiar?). And it has got me thinking, where does Roth the man end, and the protagonist begin?

Reality is obvious the starting point...

Anyway, there are several things that we all share in life: getting older, regrets, family obligations, integrity and dying.

Roth's character regrets leaving the love of his life, questions his relationship with his children, and how good a son he was.

But, even at his age and at his point in his life, he still has desires and ambitions. But, these are underminded by his health and life really.

A thought provoking and incredible read.

I am still thinking about it.

RELEASE NOTES:

Poor Xoddom is snowed under with tbr's, so I have sent this off as a RABCK to Classicfox.

Thank you, thank you, jubby for the surprise rabck and lovely note all the way from Down Under! It is always so incredibly nice to be thought of. Will read and release. :)

Cannot believe I've had this for almost a year! Reading now--thanks jubby!

4/11/08: Finished today. Man is born, marries three times, has successful career, has multiple surgeries, then he dies. Yep: "every man." (Lol) Very "Philip Roth."

RELEASE NOTES:

Left in their library.