Letting Go Audiobook

" Lots of plot lines and frustrating, argumentative dialogue. From what I gathered, "Letting Go" is about a guy just barely discernable as a "main character" who gets screwed over by everyone even though all he does is help them. The people in this book cling to each other, even when they have no reason to, even when they kind of hate one another. Most of what's great about "Letting Go" gets drowned out by the book's sheer size and how it just goes on and on, plots racking up, until it finally gives up and ends (maybe the title says more about the book than I thought?). Still, there's some pretty fun sections, including book II, "Paul Loves Libby," where one of the characters runs around trying to arrange his wife's abortion while an old lawyer who lives above him attempts to blackmail him into conning another old man out of his stash of vintage underwear. Blackmailed by a septuagenarian! Just one of many laughs included in "Letting Go." "

" This is my favorite book. "

" This is another extraordinary Roth book. He excels at showing, not telling. It is a psychological study, in the Henry James tradition (from what I've been told about Henry James, I haven't read much of him,)set in Chicago, mostly, about a trio of young people who become involved with each other while at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and then wind up teaching at the University of Chicago. As always in Roth, being Jewish, is a big part of the book. What I like about Roth is he describes situations and conversations and let's the reader figure out motivations rather than spelling them out. The book is a little short on plot, but very interesting. "

" This book revolves around the problem of letting go. The main characters, Gabe Wallach and the couple Paul and Libby Herz, all have their problems involving letting go: Gabe and his grudge against his father, Paul with his attempts to mold Libby into his ideal woman. Even the supporting characters also have problems with letting go. A bit overwritten, but one can laud Roth for being able to provide unity for each of the characters' stories. You can also feel the drama that is present as you read along the book. "

" I still believe Roth is another quiet, competent but grossly overrated American writer. Can't pick up Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and WANT to be stuck with books about baseball and the city for another second. One thing I do remember after this book, which I read years ago, is the way the dentist father describes a mouth like a universe of stars. It shocked me. Can you do that more often, Philip Roth? Like before I open 100 Years of Solitude for the 23940834 time? Roth's structured, literate mediocrity recalls for me the poet Philip Larkin. In my private moments, I think of them as the bland Philips. "

" You can sure tell this was early Roth. "

" So far as I can see I am the only one who thinks that this is the best book by Roth. I read it at least four times and I will read it ar least four times more. "

" So far, there are mentions of two novels by Henry James (Portrait of a Lady and The Wings of the Dove) I haven't read them but looks like Roth has been influenced by James in this novel. "

" Overly dramatic and repetitious. Roth could have shaved off 200 pages easily. His dialogue was hard to follow and his characters too self-absorbed. "

" I enjoyed the book, but Roth is a bit too pleased with his alter ego Gabriel Wallach. "

" Dreary, slow; couldn't finish it. "

" Several of my friends have told me how much they liked this book. It is Roth's first full length novel and I'd never read it. I liked it...ok. You could certainly see the origins of many of Roth's favorite topics here. "

" Beautiful--amazing character development. The large descriptive paragraphs are a bit much for me but it's completely worth it. Don't read the paperback, i can't get from one line to the next without a marker. "

" Just couldnt carry on. It started alright but went off on a tangent later. If someone has read it please let me know if it becomes better later and I could perhaps try to read again. "

" Roth does a grand job of illustrating idiosyncratic behaviors and letting us into the minds of these often neurotic characters. Believable and compelling. I found myself reading deep into the night. "

" Anne Frank. Seriously, this proves that Roth has serious chops as a writer. He's a Jew who is not afraid to "f" with the story of Anne Frank. "

" This was one of my favorite books. Beautifully written. "

" Apparently I'll enjoy reading anything by Philip Roth, because I liked this and I can't even make the plot sound interesting to myself. It's about a group of graduate students and their awkward and painful relationships. It had the added benefit of making me feel good about myself. "

" Norman Mailer reminded me that i had read this book. thanks Norman. It wasn't the Roth that I liked. "

" I love books writeen in the 60's. "

" I suggest that all irresponsible young men read this book. "

" This is like his first full length novel, I think. It was hard to get through. Hyper-accomplished in some ways (it reads like it could have been written by someone much older), but sort of meandering in plot and transition. For a die hard Roth fan only. American pastoral is next, probably... "

" Apparently I'll enjoy reading anything by Philip Roth, because I liked this and I can't even make the plot sound interesting to myself. It's about a group of graduate students and their awkward and painful relationships. It had the added benefit of making me feel good about myself. "

" So far, there are mentions of two novels by Henry James (Portrait of a Lady and The Wings of the Dove) I haven't read them but looks like Roth has been influenced by James in this novel. "

" I love books writeen in the 60's. "

" Dreary, slow; couldn't finish it. "

" Several of my friends have told me how much they liked this book. It is Roth's first full length novel and I'd never read it. I liked it...ok. You could certainly see the origins of many of Roth's favorite topics here. "