Philip Roth, one of the best-known and awardwinning literary masters of our time, engages his readership with insightful and challenging novels of the human condition. With The Dying Animal, he revisits the character David Kepesh. At age 60, Kapesh is drawn out of his carefully ordered existence and into an obsessive affair with one of his students.
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"An easy read. It's a short book. Well written, interesting characters. Unflinching in it's depiction of a man's sexual relationship and sort of obsession with a younger woman. I don't think it's for everyone, but it touches on the themes of mortality, obsession, vulnerability, family. i liked it."
— Santos (4 out of 5 stars)
" I'm finally done with the kepesh series *cue negro spiritual music* "
— Louis, 2/17/2014" So beautiful. If you read it, let me know. I keep disagreeing with people about the ending and would love your thoughts. "
— Vanessa, 2/17/2014" My favorite Roth book to date. Roth interestingly creates this whole novella out of pure, honest dialog. My friend introduced me to Philip Roth, if you haven't read him, you must. It will be refreshingly honest. "
— Caryn, 2/10/2014" While I thought this was well written (Roth has a way with words), I was not as certain with the plot and point of the book. The narrator has a very narrow view of love, sex, and relationships with women which were hard to swallow on my honeymoon. (Perhaps a poor choice for beachh reading.) It was short and a fast read, so it did not leave a bad taste for too long. "
— Cameron, 2/7/2014" Similar themes as "Everyman" but not quite as good. I can't get enough of Roth though. He's fantastic. "
— Joseph, 2/1/2014" Can't really say if I liked this book or not. Interesting imagery, and if you want to read a book that is absolutely, totally about sex in a philosophical sense, this is the book for you. "
— Becca, 1/24/2014" This is the last book I read. (Can I tell you I wish I was reading more?) It's my first Roth book and I quite liked it. It's perhaps a little too self-reverential for my tastes, but Roth certainly knows his craft. "
— Bill, 1/13/2014" I didn't like Lolita and I didn't like this. "
— Lesley, 1/1/2014" When you make love to a woman you get revenge for all the things that defeated you in life. "
— Haman, 12/31/2013" The movie Elegy was based on the book. And the movie might actually be better. "
— Paul, 12/12/2013" Typically incisive writing from Roth but lacks both the thematic and emotional pull of e.g. The Human Stain. Not sure how much Kepesh is meant to irritate as a protagonist. "
— Mike, 12/12/2013" Unexpected. A much better book than it got credit for when first released. Remarkably sad. I had no idea it would be so sad. Written with the usual brilliance. "
— Jesse, 10/16/2013" It was intriguing, and I felt guilty as I wanted more and more to turn each page; to put it lightly: I personally can't give any book less than three stars. "
— Alex, 7/25/2013" Roths depiction of mortality and obsession were interesting. He has a dirty mind which is at times downright weird........which made me laugh :-) "
— Tanya, 3/6/2013" I liked it better the first time, when it was published in 1960, titled Boredom and written by Alberto Moravia. Save yourself, skip this one. "
— Danielle, 10/30/2012" One of his shorter novels and like a short story should be read in one sitting. Masterful! "
— David, 3/1/2012" The final book of the Kepesh character. Tight book that also incorporates that breast as symbolism and has motivated me to re read"The Breast" and read "The Professor of Desire"....or perhaps the curtains are just blue.. "
— Arlo, 2/13/2012" Short. Erotic. With a surprising twist. "
— Chris, 11/21/2011" Should have left this one in your diary, Roth. "
— Jakob, 5/23/2011" Why do I keep reading Roth? He provokes me. He owes me. Portnoy's Complaint was far enough "
— Ctb, 5/7/2011" I kept hoping to get something substantial out of the text. I can understand why someone would call it disgusting but it wasn't unentertaining so it gets 3 stars. You can waste a few hours on it. "
— James, 4/18/2011" One of the most honest books I have ever read in my life. Good manual about how fucked up our minds are (In a good sense). "
— Maria, 2/18/2011" The first Roth I really enjoyed. A very human story. "
— Adam, 1/12/2011" Afrodite, <br/>Eros, <br/>Thanatos. <br/>La triade dell'amore.<br/>La lussuria, il sentimento, la morte, nostra, dell'altro, della relazione.<br/>Privilegiare solo uno di questi componenti, consciamente o meno, vuol dire che gli altri due, prima o poi, ne domanderanno conto. "
— Paola, 12/14/2010" Maybe this should be four stars. But it's like everything else Roth, no? "
— Dominic, 12/4/2010" 18+ It reveals eroticism as the biggest shortcoming in human being. "
— Agnes, 11/22/2010" A Character who is as selfish as any man might want to be, and also as learned. Where he is the discriminator of culture while at the same time the vacuum. His spoils are our nausea. Your jealous one minute and then acquiescent the next. The young are his pray and he theirs. "
— Jason, 10/22/2010" a favorite. elegy is on my netflix list next! "
— Yesica, 9/14/2010Philip 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.”
Tom Stechschulte (1948–2021) was an acclaimed narrator and winner of the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He had been a college athlete and business major when a friend dared him to audition for a play. He got the part and traded the locker room for the dressing room, eventually taking him to New York City and to recording audiobooks.