Philip Roth was one of the most prominent American authors of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Many of his novels received critical acclaim, including Portnoy’s Complaint, The Plot Against America, and American Pastoral. His novels share similar themes. Many of his characters are Jewish, and their experiences illuminate what it means to be Jewish in America, often enjoying a strong community but facing at times virulent antisemitism.

In addition, Roth’s characters are often men who are preoccupied with desire:

Mr. Roth’s other great theme was sex, or male lust, which in his books is both a life force and a principle of rage and disorder. It is sex, the uncontrollable need to have it, that torments poor, guilt-ridden Portnoy, almost certainly Mr. Roth’s most famous character (McGrath, Charles. “Philip Roth, Towering Novelist Who Explored Lust, Jewish Life and America, Dies at 85.” The New York Times, 22 May 2018).

Many of Roth’s characters, including the protagonist of Sabbath’s Theater, are obsessed with sex and use it as a guiding principle in their lives. Roth’s exploration of taboo behaviors also provides commentary on society’s limits and judgments.

Finally, many of Roth’s novels explore aging.