I’m often promoting the short story. I tell people, life is busy and stressful – I put two kids to bed, read bed time stories, and am exhausted, but it helps so much to have one complete reading experience at the end of the day. I can’t sit down and read War and Peace so I read a short story. You read one really great short story and it’s like, ahh… I’ve at least been able to reach some level of reading enjoyment today. The same can be said for novella’s or the short novel. This past weekend Wendy had a sinus infection. I had to do everything for both kids – clothed, bathed, entertained (actually we skipped baths) So I didn’t have much time on my hands. (gee, being a mom must be tough) But Philip Roth’s new novel Nemesis is a short one. I came away from the weekend feeling like I’d had a pretty balanced time – played with the kids and read Nemesis in its entirety.
For the third straight year Roth has released a little book. This one is set in Newark, NJ where either most or all (not sure) of Roth’s novels are set. It’s WW2 and there is a polio outbreak in Newark. Bucky is a young teacher and is the director of the playground. When “his boys” start to become ill Bucky questions himself. Did he do everything he could to protect the boys? He even wonders if he is the carrier.
I’m always questioning why I enjoy reading so much – is it because of a general interest and curiosity about myself and other folks? This is a very human novel. Full of the thoughts, feelings, and pain of a young man. Bucky eventually turns into a very dark and cynical man – oddly enough this brings the reader to a point of questioning, “would I have thought the same way” “would I have reacted diffently” “why?”
Good book – happy reading.
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