Play Audiobook Sample
The Great American Novel Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.02) - 1,055 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
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Pastoral—a richly imagined novel featuring America’s only homeless big-league baseball team in history delivers “shameless comic extravagance…Roth gleefully exploits our readiness to let baseball stand for America itself”—The New York Times.
Gil Gamesh, the only pitcher who ever literally tried to kill the umpire. The ex-con first baseman, John Baal, “The Babe Ruth of the Big House,” who never hit a home run sober. If you’ve never heard of them—or of the homeless baseball team the Ruppert Mundys—it’s because of the Communist plot, and the capitalist scandal, that expunged the entire Patriot League from baseball memory.
In this ribald, wickedly satiric novel, Roth turns baseball’s status as national pastime and myth into an occasion for unfettered picaresque farce, replete with heroism and perfidy, ebullient wordplay and a cast of characters that includes the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Download and start listening now!
"This is easily the tamest Philip Roth book I've read, both in terms of explicit sexual fantasies and in terms of writing style. The 50-page "preface" did leave me with a little bit of Roth fatigue, but for the book is a surprisingly straightforward, by his standards, satirical novel about a baseball team during World War II."
— Joshua (4 out of 5 stars)
The Great American Novel Listener Reviews
-
" I enjoyed this book, and think it was more of a 3.5 for me than a straight-up 3. I'm a sucker for books about baseball, and overall I thought the book was well-written. It wasn't as consistently funny as I was hoping it would be, although there were some scenes that were truly hilarious (the shenanigans before one of the games which included a grandmother stealing second base was the highlight for me). I can't say I took any great message from the satire, but it was an enjoyable read. "
— Mike, 2/2/2014 -
" The Rupert Mundy's were a sight to behold. "
— Gregory, 1/20/2014 -
" Boy, did I laughed! "
— Guillermo, 12/18/2013 -
" I learned that the Patriot League was a freak show and am glad it was disbanded. "
— Matt, 12/18/2013 -
" Every baseball fan should read it. the funniest sport book I've ever read. I give this book as a gift to friends and family. "
— Mudman27, 12/5/2013 -
" Really good read, but nothing that great to remember. "
— Steve, 12/3/2013 -
" Hilarious. A smart satire of the romanticism of baseball and American nationalism. It gets excessive which is in part the point of the book -- to reveal the excesses of this symbol and its use -- and in part Roth's inability to show restraint. "
— Kristin, 11/18/2013 -
" I don't give a rat's ass about baseball. "
— Lara, 11/12/2013 -
" The 60-page prologue which teases Hemingway is a lot of fun, but it slows down after that. It's reasonably good on the whole, but I would not recommend it with so much else out there to read. "
— Mike, 10/22/2013 -
" It must have been "time of life" for me but I really enjoyed this story of baseball. For me it was hilarious "
— John, 4/18/2013 -
" I really could not get into this book, which is unusual as I have read and liked Roth's books before. I did not finish reading it - a pretty rare occurrence for me. "
— Elizabeth, 3/5/2013 -
" I would definitely recommend this book. It is really funny and unlike Roth's other books, many of the characters are likable. "
— Amanda, 12/4/2012 -
" Satiric baseball novel; I don't care much for baseball, but this book has enough in it to keep me interested beside. "
— Nicole, 7/30/2012 -
" Great story about baseball and America back when things were a little grittier pre-WWII. Thoroughly enjoyed it. "
— Dave, 7/13/2012 -
" Parts of this book were very funny, but I did find myself pushing to get through to the end. Parts were over the top for me, and I also don't know a ton about baseball so that wasn't a natural attraction for me. However, I think it's a good read for baseball fans. "
— Moira, 7/10/2012 -
" Ingenious word play. Might have held my attention better if I was a baseball fan. "
— Tom, 12/17/2011 -
" If you love baseball (and Philip Roth) read this book. It'll make you laugh out loud while reading. "
— Al, 10/29/2011 -
" Baseball is the setting - the Great American pastime. It's wickedly funny. Gil Gamesh is an unforgettable character. "
— Jim, 3/9/2011 -
" This was a really fun book to read, but there's nothing in it that really stays with you for very long. "
— Chris, 9/22/2010 -
" I don't like baseball or Philip Roth, but I liked this book. "
— Chr_s, 7/21/2010 -
" The 60-page prologue which teases Hemingway is a lot of fun, but it slows down after that. It's reasonably good on the whole, but I would not recommend it with so much else out there to read. "
— Mike, 7/3/2010 -
" It must have been "time of life" for me but I really enjoyed this story of baseball. For me it was hilarious "
— John, 6/26/2010 -
" Satiric baseball novel; I don't care much for baseball, but this book has enough in it to keep me interested beside. "
— Nicole, 1/26/2010 -
" Really good read, but nothing that great to remember. "
— Steve, 12/12/2009 -
" Great story about baseball and America back when things were a little grittier pre-WWII. Thoroughly enjoyed it. "
— Dave, 12/6/2009 -
" I found this almost as funny as "A Confederacy of Dunces". "
— John, 8/25/2009 -
" Every baseball fan should read it. the funniest sport book I've ever read. I give this book as a gift to friends and family. "
— Mudman27, 4/17/2009 -
" I read this many years ago and loved it- I must re-read it. "
— Bebe, 1/8/2009
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 James Daniels
James Daniels is a voice talent who has narrated more than forty audiobooks and won two AudioFile Earphones Awards for his readings.