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The Breast Audiobook
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(3.00) - 1,756 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Pastoral: Like a latter-day Gregor Samsa, Professor David Kepesh wakes up one morning to find that he has been transformed—into a 155-pound breast. What follows is “terrific…inventive and sane and very funny (The New York Times Book Review).
A deliriously funny yet touching exploration of the full implications of David Kepesh’s metamorphosis—a daring, heretical book that brings us face to face with the intrinsic strangeness of sex and subjectivity.
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"The Breast is my first Roth book that I really took to (although I read partially some Zuckerman Novels) and what better novella than "The Breast" to learn Phillip Roth's distorted textual sense which I loved right away. The short read is very easy to follow yet it is fully complicated as a work of literature. It is obviously based on Kafka's "Metamorphasis" yet Roth seems to make a joke of it while still capturing all (or most) of the original ideas and components. Although admitedly like most people there are certain themes lost on me in "The Breast" but I do feel that Roth is making a "Metamorphasis" for the 20th century and he succeeded mostly. There are also subjects such as sexual arrousal and the idea that Dr.Kepesh himself (being a literary proffesor) cannot sustain wether he is living a reality or if it is allegorical situation which is one of the most interesting themes of this "Novella" Fiction vs Reality. No matter the meanings, everyone will or should take something from this read and enjoyment will be had by any Roth or true literary fan."
— Kyle (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Hilarious, serious, visionary, logical, sexual-philosophical; the ending amazes—the joke takes three steps beyond savagery and satire and turns into a sublimeness of pity. One knows when one is reading something that will permanently enter the culture.”
— Cynthia Ozick, author of Antiquities
The Breast Listener Reviews
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" I read this in college and really liked it...wonder if I still would. Hard to say. "
— Sarah, 2/20/2014 -
" What a weird book. It wasn't even very good, just a guy ranting on and on and on... after he turns into a breast. I don't get why this book is on the 1001 books list. "
— Rachel, 2/15/2014 -
" After seeing the PBS special on Roth, I decided to read some of his works I had missed. This is imaginative, humorous, a short novella. "
— Mimi, 2/3/2014 -
" Not necessarily great, but an interesting blend of humorous, outrageous, and deeply serious. Now I definitely need to read The Metamorphosis! "
— C, 1/17/2014 -
" Man turns into 155 pound breast. Such a quick read it was amusing. Add another 35 pages and it might have been tedious? "
— Curious, 1/16/2014 -
" it was my last roth,so i guess that may have something to do with how little i liked it.you can only take so much of the guy. "
— Sorana, 1/2/2014 -
" A fun little piece of surrealist fiction. I mean...a man literally becomes a giant breast. How can that NOT be a great story. And you'll read it in like 20 minutes. "
— Philip, 12/30/2013 -
" so i guess by now it's pretty obvious that i'm reading all of roth's work chronologically. more fun than a balloon toss, anyway. "
— Katie, 12/28/2013 -
" 1st in a trilogy, about David Kepesh. I'm looking forward to reading the remainder of the trilogy. "
— Jerry, 10/25/2013 -
" Roth's satire on Kafka's "Metamorphosis. Not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. "
— Rick, 9/26/2013 -
" Super weird. The protagonist actually transforms into a giant boob! "
— Mary, 4/27/2013 -
" A man turns into a giant female breast. Enough said. "
— Chris, 11/24/2012 -
" weird ..... just weird but easy read so worth the time "
— Gina, 5/6/2011 -
" It is Roth being Roth. The ending was quite interesting, but it didn't feel that satisfying.<br/><br/>I couldn't believe in the villain.<br/><br/>There were times that the story moved too slowly. "
— Ke, 4/10/2011 -
" weird ..... just weird but easy read so worth the time "
— Gina, 3/22/2011 -
" This book was really out there, it had some very grotesque situations. "
— Veronica, 11/6/2010 -
" A fun little piece of surrealist fiction. I mean...a man literally becomes a giant breast. How can that NOT be a great story. And you'll read it in like 20 minutes. "
— Philip, 10/26/2010 -
" it was my last roth,so i guess that may have something to do with how little i liked it.you can only take so much of the guy. "
— Sorana, 9/6/2010 -
" A real let-down after reading 'The Dying Animal'. Boring. "
— Jared, 8/22/2010 -
" This is an odd little book. Fantastic in premise, but pretty non-fantastic in approach. Roth examines the sole fantastic element with his usual psychological microscope. It is an interesting read, but not a particularly noteable Roth book for me. "
— David, 7/24/2010 -
" apparently, boobies love to do it. "
— Johanna, 5/12/2010 -
" I loe Roth's interpretation of Kafka. What can you say about Roth other than he's amazing! "
— Brandi, 5/11/2010 -
" I think that Roth is trying to rewrite Kafka to fit 1970's America, with some success. Witty, mildly disturbing and thankfully short. "
— Caroline, 5/5/2010 -
" This book is f'ing brilliant. "
— Betsy, 12/25/2009 -
" Hilarious and dashing in conceit. Ultimately, rather a serious and moving work that echoes from its last line. "
— Allen, 12/12/2009 -
" Picked this one up after first discovering Roth and wanting to read everything he'd ever written. Found it kind of pointless. "
— Dave, 12/6/2009 -
" I took me forever to get through this book. I think I know what he was going for with it but it was still too much for me-the whole man turned into a breast thing, I don't recommend it! "
— Amanda, 10/6/2009
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 David Colacci
David Colacci is an actor and director who has directed and performed in prominent theaters nationwide. His credits include roles from Shakespeare to Albee, as well as extensive work on new plays. As a narrator, he has won numerous Earphones Awards, earned Audie Award nominations, and been included in Best Audio of the Year lists by such publications as Publishers Weekly, AudioFile magazine, and Library Journal. He was a resident actor and director with the Cleveland Play House for eight years and has been artistic director of the Hope Summer Rep Theater since 1992.