Play Audiobook Sample
Indignation Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 4,650 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
In 1951, the second year of the Korean War, a studious, law-abiding, and intense youngster from Newark, New Jersey, Marcus Messner, begins his sophomore year on the pastoral, conservative campus of Ohio’s Winesburg College. And why is he there and not at a local college in Newark where he originally enrolled? Because his father, the sturdy, hardworking neighborhood butcher, seems to have gone mad—mad with fear and apprehension of the dangers of adult life, the dangers of the world, the dangers he sees in every corner for his beloved boy. Far from Newark, Marcus has to find his way amid the customs and constrictions of another American world.
Indignation, Philip Roth’s twenty-ninth book, is a startling departure from the haunted narratives of old age and experience in Roth’s recent books and a powerful exploration of a remarkable moment in American history.
Download and start listening now!
"Although I wouldn't rank this among his great works, a Roth is always a Roth. Going back to one of his favored themes and periods - how to belong in fifties America, though not novel in any sense, it remains impressive that Roth can tackle this from so many different angles and voices. A good read."
— Daniel (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“There are simply no novels by Roth in which you cannot detect the hand of a master.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine -
“A triumph.”
— USA Today -
“Roth…demonstrates with subtle mastery the incomprehensible way one’s most banal, incidental, even comical choices achieve the most disproportionate result.”
— New Yorker -
“Mesmerizing…Philip Roth’s intrepid novel of self-revelation demands to be read in one sitting. It’s that good. It’s that audacious. It’s that compelling.”
— Seattle Times -
“A late masterpiece…Indignation is Philip Roth’s best novel since The Counterlife.”
— Financial Times (London) -
“Brilliant and disconcerting…The terrible sadness of Marcus’ life is rendered palpable by Roth’s fierce grasp on the psychology of this butcher’s boy, down to his bought-for-Winesburg wardrobe. It’s a melancholy triumph and a cogent reflection on society in a time of war.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Provocative…Fast-paced, compassionate, humorous, historically conscious.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“The book has a taut, elegant symmetry…A twist in narrative perspective reinforces this novel’s timelessness.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“A meditation on love, death, and madness…Roth’s new novel combines the comic absurdity of his early novels like Portnoy’s Complaint with the pathos of his later novels like Everyman and Exit Ghost.”
— Library Journal
Indignation Listener Reviews
-
" 1st edition, signed by author "
— Beth, 2/16/2014 -
" This was on the new york times 100 notable books but I wasn't all that impressed. The story line was a bit predictable. I was left with the feeling that Roth could write some great books...just maybe not in this genre. "
— Joselynn, 2/6/2014 -
" An angry-young-man novel of the highest order! "
— Henry, 2/4/2014 -
" it is incredible. certainly one of the best books i've read in the past few months. can't wait to read more of roth's. "
— Amanda, 2/2/2014 -
" The more I remembered this is set in 1951, the better I liked it. A fast read packed with a lot to think about and discuss in book group! "
— Martha, 1/27/2014 -
" Another novella by Roth during his late renaissance. Better than The Humbling but doesn't quite reach the heights of Nemesis. "
— Tom, 1/24/2014 -
" Angst, humor, angst & finally poignancy. "
— Judy, 1/16/2014 -
" Not a book I would recommend - seemed like a lot of ranting and raving and a main character that had little to hold on to...was out of control in terms of his lack of socialization and ability to function past his own family...he had so many questions and didn't know who to trust for answers. "
— Holly, 12/23/2013 -
" I just finished reading this. I've had it lying on my shelf for a while but hadn't picked it up yet. Like most of Roth's work it's a joy to read. Dreadful, comic and sad in places, this book dissects familial relations and the mores of 1950s America in a brief few pages. "
— Cormac, 12/22/2013 -
" Everything you didn't want to learn about lesbians. Unnecesarily prurient and depressing to boot. "
— Don, 12/5/2013 -
" Anyone read the Sherwood Anderson stories about Winesburg, Ohio? "
— Lauren, 11/25/2013 -
" I liked this book very much. At the risk of repeating myself, I will say again that I love Philip Roth and would recommend any of his books, anytime. "
— John, 7/18/2013 -
" What a disappointment. Roth is capable of so much more than this... I wonder if he's losing it. Not a patch on The Human Stain. I would have disliked it less if I thought it was by anybody else. "
— Shaheen, 4/1/2013 -
" Shades of American Pastoral, which I loved. More a detailed vignette than a novel, but a thought-provoking read that resonated for a while after reading. Ending a bit pat and ironic, but in keeping with Roth's style. "
— Ada, 1/20/2013 -
" intense novel of college life, 1951-Jewish butcher's son studies law and tries to avoid Korean War draft, masterful sense of time and place "
— Jennyreadsexcessively, 12/5/2012 -
" A provocative rumination on the absurdity and fragility of life and the consequences of the choices we make. Roth's ability to be both witty and haunting is in evidence in this cautionary tale for the youth of today and every day. "
— Raimo, 6/16/2012 -
" Mr. Roth is a reliable man. Less than a year after Exit Ghost he gives us a new novel - and once again it is a very good one. "
— Martin, 6/11/2012 -
" Okay, I've learned my lesson and have sworn off Philip Roth for good. Can't say I didn't give him a fair chance. Ugh. "
— Renie, 4/14/2012 -
" Roth in fine form "
— Gil, 8/26/2011 -
" When the power in a book is based in part on what is not said rather that what is, the reader and the author must work together to create meaning. When you are reading Philip Roth, it's more like a conspiracy. "
— Shipwreck1969, 7/23/2011 -
" Not Roth's best but still worth a read. It's difficult to have empathy with the main character - but maybe that's the point. "
— Stan, 6/2/2011 -
" insignificant philip ross. search elsewhere. "
— Lauren, 4/25/2011 -
" First time a Roth has not left me raving about his greatness. "
— Simon, 4/15/2011 -
" The reference to the Chinese anthem surprised me, in a good way.<br/><br/>Some parts weren't that different from Portnoy.<br/><br/>The ending surprised me. But mostly it's Roth being true to his voice. "
— Ke, 4/10/2011 -
" liked some parts- enough that i read the whole thing, strongly disliked others "
— Jeff, 4/3/2011 -
" My first Philip Roth novel. It was pretty entertaining. The story was a little mundane, but Roth's style marked by pointed laconic observations makes for an interesting read. I believe that he is a testament to classic authorship, a style that has waned in recent years. "
— Brett, 3/30/2011 -
" Indignation -- it's what the protagonist feels at the demands made of him and the sacrifices demanded of him by the hypocrisy of his times: the 1950s. A provocative and quick read. "
— Carol, 3/6/2011 -
" I surprisingly enjoyed this and flew through it (not that it is large!).<br/>I understand that the movie rights were purchased when it was published and I can see why. "
— Alexander, 2/13/2011 -
" First time reading anything by this author, but he was recommended by Dad so I picked this up at a library booksale. Really enjoyed it-- Partly comical, partly dramatic, and overall great story set at a college during the time-frame of the Korean War. "
— Kyria, 2/4/2011 -
" engaging, interesting plot drama, situated characters, strong purposeful use of literary device. Really a model for what a novel can offer and a strong page turner as well. "
— Dieter, 1/30/2011
About Philip Roth
Philip Roth (1933–2018) was one of the most decorated writers in American history, having won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award twice, the PEN/Faulkner Award three times, the National Book Award, 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.”
About Ray Chase
Ray Chase graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in theater and a minor in cinema and television. He has since worked extensively as a voice-over artist. Among his dozens of audiobook narrations are Ian Douglas’ Heritage trilogy and Robert Olen Butler’s Christopher Marlowe Cobb thrillers.