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Philip Roth Reading from Letting Go by Philip Roth
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Philip Roth Reading from Letting Go

From Great American Authors Read from Their Works, Volume 1

$0.86

Retail price: $0.95

Discount: 9%

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Narrator Philip Roth

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Length 13 minutes
Language English
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This recording, made early in Roth's career, is drawn from his first novel, Letting Go. Set in the 1950s, it portrays the social constraints of the period as they affect several graduate students at critical points in their lives. The scene Roth reads shows the rather diffident Paul Herz confronted by two of his ancient rooming-house neighbors who have a favor to ask. As the critic John Ciardi wrote, "Three actors with separately trained voices could not have read it better. If Roth were not so good a writer it would be the world's duty to force him onto the stage."

Philip Roth (1933–2018) was one of the most decorated writers in American history, having won the National Book Critics Circle Award twice, the PEN/Faulkner Award three times, the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, and many more. He also won the Ambassador Book Award of the English-Speaking Union and in the same year received the National Medal of Arts at the White House. In 2001 he received the highest award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Gold Medal in Fiction, given every six years “for the entire work of the recipient.”

Philip Roth (1933–2018) was one of the most decorated writers in American history, having won the National Book Critics Circle Award twice, the PEN/Faulkner Award three times, the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, and many more. He also won the Ambassador Book Award of the English-Speaking Union and in the same year received the National Medal of Arts at the White House. In 2001 he received the highest award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Gold Medal in Fiction, given every six years “for the entire work of the recipient.”

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In celebration of Independent Bookstore Day, shop our limited-time sale on bestselling audiobooks from April 22nd-28th. Don’t miss out—purchases support your local bookstore!

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Reviews

“A rich book, full of incident, wry and sad, and even in its most desolating scene somehow amusing.”

“A first novel of awesome maturity.”

“[Roth] has the finest eye for the details of American life since Sinclair Lewis.”

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Celebrate indie bookstores with our limited-time sale! Shop the sale