Scan barcode
A review by mkesten
Philip Roth: The Biography by Blake Bailey
4.0
We learn in Blake Bailey´s biography that Philip Roth carried on an affair with his friend´s wife for 20 years. In my books that’s long time.
Later in life, Roth had sex with a friend’s daughter, that he had another friend pimp beautiful students into Roth’s literature classes, that he had sex with his students, that he made a pass at his step-daughters friend, poisoning his marriage to Claire Bloom, that he had sex with his personal employees, and that he hung around his publishers´offices to scout out new conquests.
He also had an affair with at least one woman who was likely bi-polar. Both his wives likely suffered from mentally illness.
Roth documented many of his affairs in his fiction, so his wives and girlfriends didn’t have to wait long to find out with whom he was being unfaithful.
And several of the women who appear in this book as Roth’s conquests have been given pseudonyms. We’re not told why, but it wouldn’t a big stretch to guess that Roth had probably raped underage women.
His books and fame brought Roth wealth, wealth he sometimes used to support friends and charities, but wealth he also used to control his lovers. And he unabashedly used his fame to bed more women. The details are pretty gross.
There are also some pretty unflattering portraits of Bobbie and Jackie Kennedy in this volume. Like another serial seducer, John Kennedy, Roth also suffered serious and debilitating back pain.
After reading all this who could imagine that Roth’s books will be studied in literature programs around the world in an era of cancel culture? Roth broke every taboo I can think of, and his books circle around men who likewise break sexual taboos. Roth and at least some of his friends — including the biographer — were creeps.
Bailey himself has been accused of sexual misconduct with his students and his publisher. We may never learn the truth of these accusations, but we can surmise why Bailey took on the job: to learn seduction at the feet of a master.
Roth was pretty candid with his biographer only asking that he make him sound “interesting.” Well, interesting he is in this biography if you are excited by the prurient.
But Roth’s life outside of literature was pretty thin. He didn’t have any jobs outside of academe after his military service. He didn’t have any children of his own. He didn’t build any unique institutions.
In a New York Times podcast we also learn that Roth asked that most of his huge output of letters be burned after the biography was finished. It’s as if he wanted to end the suffering for his victims.
Roth complained that he had terrible luck with his wives and girlfriends, but then again he seemed to be in such a rush to bed so many of them it’s hard to empathize with him. His idol was Saul Bellow, another serial seducer if only judged by his five marriages.
I must add that while I could not put down this very long 800-page biography, I’m not sure I ever want to read another of Roth’s books or watch the movies of the books.
He casts a large shadow over American letters whatever you think about his personal behaviour. A large and troubling shadow.
Later in life, Roth had sex with a friend’s daughter, that he had another friend pimp beautiful students into Roth’s literature classes, that he had sex with his students, that he made a pass at his step-daughters friend, poisoning his marriage to Claire Bloom, that he had sex with his personal employees, and that he hung around his publishers´offices to scout out new conquests.
He also had an affair with at least one woman who was likely bi-polar. Both his wives likely suffered from mentally illness.
Roth documented many of his affairs in his fiction, so his wives and girlfriends didn’t have to wait long to find out with whom he was being unfaithful.
And several of the women who appear in this book as Roth’s conquests have been given pseudonyms. We’re not told why, but it wouldn’t a big stretch to guess that Roth had probably raped underage women.
His books and fame brought Roth wealth, wealth he sometimes used to support friends and charities, but wealth he also used to control his lovers. And he unabashedly used his fame to bed more women. The details are pretty gross.
There are also some pretty unflattering portraits of Bobbie and Jackie Kennedy in this volume. Like another serial seducer, John Kennedy, Roth also suffered serious and debilitating back pain.
After reading all this who could imagine that Roth’s books will be studied in literature programs around the world in an era of cancel culture? Roth broke every taboo I can think of, and his books circle around men who likewise break sexual taboos. Roth and at least some of his friends — including the biographer — were creeps.
Bailey himself has been accused of sexual misconduct with his students and his publisher. We may never learn the truth of these accusations, but we can surmise why Bailey took on the job: to learn seduction at the feet of a master.
Roth was pretty candid with his biographer only asking that he make him sound “interesting.” Well, interesting he is in this biography if you are excited by the prurient.
But Roth’s life outside of literature was pretty thin. He didn’t have any jobs outside of academe after his military service. He didn’t have any children of his own. He didn’t build any unique institutions.
In a New York Times podcast we also learn that Roth asked that most of his huge output of letters be burned after the biography was finished. It’s as if he wanted to end the suffering for his victims.
Roth complained that he had terrible luck with his wives and girlfriends, but then again he seemed to be in such a rush to bed so many of them it’s hard to empathize with him. His idol was Saul Bellow, another serial seducer if only judged by his five marriages.
I must add that while I could not put down this very long 800-page biography, I’m not sure I ever want to read another of Roth’s books or watch the movies of the books.
He casts a large shadow over American letters whatever you think about his personal behaviour. A large and troubling shadow.