The Human Stain by Philip Roth

The Human Stain

The American Trilogy #3

Philip Roth

361 pages • first pub 2000 (view editions)

fiction literary challenging dark reflective slow-paced
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The Human Stain by Philip Roth is ideal for readers who appreciate probing explorations of identity and societal hypocrisy through psychologically complex characters and layered historical contexts.

Description

It is 1998, the year in which America is whipped into a frenzy of prurience by the impeachment of a president, and in a small New England town an aging Classics professor, Coleman Silk, is forced to retire when his colleagues decree that he is a r...

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Community Reviews

3.72
based on 3,231 reviews

Moods

dark: 65%

reflective: 65%

challenging: 55%

emotional: 33%

sad: 28%

tense: 25%

mysterious: 18%

funny: 7%

informative: 7%

adventurous: 4%

inspiring: 4%

Pace

3% of readers chose fast
44% of readers chose medium
51% of readers chose slow
fast
medium
slow

Plot or character driven?

5% of readers chose Plot
31% of readers chose A mix
63% of readers chose Character
Plot
A mix
Character

Strong character development?

49% of readers chose Yes
29% of readers chose Complicated
20% of readers chose No
Yes
Complicated
No

Loveable characters?

12% of readers chose Yes
40% of readers chose Complicated
45% of readers chose No
Yes
Complicated
No

Diverse cast of characters?

70% of readers chose Yes
15% of readers chose Complicated
11% of readers chose No
1% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
No
N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus?

89% of readers chose Yes
7% of readers chose Complicated
1% of readers chose N/A
Yes
Complicated
N/A

Content Warnings

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