This is one of the books listed in the 1001 books to read before you die.

Synopsis (taken from Amazon)
Seymour 'Swede' Levov - a legendary high school athlete, a devoted family man, a hard worker, the prosperous inheriter of his father's Newark glove factory - comes of age in thriving, triumphant post-war America. But everything he loves is lost when the country begins to run amok in the turbulent 1960s. American Pastoral is the story of a fortunate American's rise and fall - of a strong, confident master of social equilibrium overwhelmed by the forces of social disorder.

About the Author
In 1997 Philip Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral. In 1998 he received the National Medal of Arts at the White House, and in 2002 received the highest award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Gold Medal in Fiction, previously awarded to John Dos Passos, William Faulkner, and Saul Bellow, among others. He has twice won the National Book Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2005, Philip Roth will become the third living American writer to have his work published in a comprehensive, definitive edition by the Library of America. The last of the eight volumes is scheduled for publication in 2013.

I started to read this book a few years ago and only got to about page 40 and gave up reading it but put it aside to give it a second chance. Thanks to another bookcrosser I picked it up and had another go - this time round i was in the right frame of mind and i really enjoyed reading it - the bookcrosser mentioned must be thanked as they requested the book as part of an exchange giving me reason to try and read the book one more time before giving up on it and passing it on to someone else to read instead...it might still be in a pile of TBR's gathering dust for so much longer if it wasn't for them!

have sent this on to the bookcrosser mentioned on previous entry - i hope she enjoys reading it too!!

Arrived today, a RABACK from ekranda, thank YOU!

18.4.08 A very dense, but not heavy, read. Life meant that I had to keep picking this up and leaving it for a few days- the writing was so intense that at no ponit did I feel I had lost the thread. Thank you so much for this RABCK, it was the best book I have read in ages.

This was a RABCK sent to me at my request, so I would like to spread the kind intention further and offer this book as a ring, ending with the 1001 shelf, especially as it was the best read of the last 12 months.

Usual rules:

Please try not to keep the book longer than 4 weeks; journal on receipt and mailing; let me know if there is a problem. Shipping internationally by surface mail is fine, but please mention on your entry if you have shipped surface, then there wont be a pannic if the book takes a few weeks!

List so far, final order to be decided:


Tubereader (UK)-anywhere
Brunton11 (UK)-anywhere
jellyfish67 (UK)-anywhere
cat207 (Australia)-pref Aus but will ship international
clawdette (US)-US
spaceystacey (US)- pref US but will ship Canada ***original stalled***

I have bought a new copy, link here...http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7868739/J_13778621..and there is a new shipping order....

stubee(UK)- Int
KT-J(UK) Int
fushmush (UK)-pref Europe
Mizuchy (Romania)-EU
afraberg (Netherlands)- anywhere
Ythan (UK)-anywhere
1001 SHELF

Last participant-please PM the 1001 shelf to register the book with them, instructions on the link below.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/---/1001-library (last of all)

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to the first participant today

This book has arrived safely. I am currently reading another ring book but this will come next so shouldn't take too long.

Thanks a lot, starflash, for sharing!

08/05/08 UPDATE: I have finished my previous ring book today so I will start this one probably today. I hope I will finish reading it by the end of next week (although starflash says in her journal entry it is a very dense book so not sure I will be able to get it read that fast!).

16/05/08 UPDATE: I see what starflash meant when she said the book is dense. After one week of reading, I am only 60 pages into it (I have also been quite busy so cut down a bit on my reading). Every time I pick it up, I read, feel like I have read a lot and then look down and see that not some many pages have been read! Anyway, I hope I will be a bit more free this weekend and next week so hope to be able to be done in a couple of weeks!

24/05/08 UPDATE: Hopefully my last update before releasing this book very soon! I'm about 3/4 through it. I am liking it more and more as I get into it. I'm confident I'll be done with it by the end of this Bank Holiday. I have PMed brunton11 (next in the ring) to confirm their address.

I have finally finished this book. It has taken me quite a while to get through it as it is quite dense.

It took me a while to get into it, then I really got into it and liked it, but I must say I have been a bit disappointed with the end of it. The book is very well written, with lots of details. The story is hard and I feel that the book doesn't come to a closing point at the end. I think if the end had been different, I would probably have rated the book 8 or 9, but I have just put it down and feel there is a final chapter missing to it :-(

I have PMed brunton11 again today to confirm her address and whether she still wants to get this book now. I am awaiting a response from her, but as it is a Bank Holiday here in the UK, I guess it might not be today.

Thanks a lot, starflash, for sharing the book!

RELEASE NOTES:

This book has been posted to the next participant (brunton11). Happy reading!

And a final thank you to starflash for sharing this book!

Received today - Thanks all for sharing

Firstly apologies for having this book a little longer than planned. I've had to do a lot of reading at work recently making me less inclined to read at home! I found that I could only read this book in short bursts as my attention started to drift after 10-15 pages. It was long and at times a little repetitive and the ending was a little strange to say the least. I thought the book started off really well so overall I was a little frustrated with it.

Thanks starflash and all for sharing. This is book 35 for me from the 1001 BTRBYD list and a new author.

I have jellyfish's address so will take this book to the post office tomorrow. It hasn't got far to go from Salford to Burnley :)

Arrived safely yesterday! Thank you

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Apologies for having this book for such a long time. However it will be on its way to the next reader on the list later today. Thanks for the chance to read it.

Arrived in today's mail. Thank you jellyfish and starflash for sharing. X

A good story with a strange end. Roth really laboured his point. I found the book a bit repetitive. I found the book a bit repetitive...

Heading off to clawdette in tomorrow's mail.

recieved 2/3/09..will journal when read

released to next reader today...i have been finished with this for a while but been sick and busy with work..just made it to post office today...also it took me awhile to read it. was very hard for me to get through it

Received in the post around Mother's day. Sorry for the delay in Journaling.


08/31/2009 Will be reading this week and then posting out to next reader once I have the address.


Read while on vacation in Louisiana. Wonderful read.


Awaiting address from darkpunkangel.

10/04/2009 Contact with originator of the ring regarding what to do? Skip but then delayed about 2 weeks due to funds.