Philip Roth

Philip Roth - University Of Chicago, Facts and Family

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Philip Roth's Personal Details

Philip Roth is one of the acclaimed American writers of his generation

InformationDetail
BirthdayMarch 19, 1933
NationalityAmerican
FamousRutgers University, University Of Chicago, Writers, Novelists
City/StateNew Jersey
SpousesClaire Bloom (m. 1990–1995), Margaret Martinson (m. 1959–1968)
Known asPhilip Milton Roth
Universities
  • Rutgers University,University Of Chicago
  • Weequahic High School
  • Bucknell University
  • University of Chicago
Notable Alumnis
  • Rutgers University
  • University Of Chicago
Birth PlaceNewark, New Jersey, USA
ReligionJewish
GenderMale
FatherHerman Roth
MotherBess (née Finkel)
Net Worth$10 million as of Mar 28,2017
Sun SignPisces
Born inNewark, New Jersey, USA
Famous asNovelist

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Philip Roth's photo

Who is Philip Roth?

An academician and a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, Philip Roth is a name to reckon with, in the list of US writers of his generation. He is, by far, one of the most acclaimed and awarded writers. Interestingly, unlike others who slogged to get themselves enlisted amongst the prestigious writers of the generation, Roth jumped to fame with his very first venture, ‘Goodbye Columbus’. What’s more, he even bagged a National Book Award for the same. While his novels are based on different genres and highlight the different aspects of life and nature, one thing that binds all of them and typecasts his writing is the presence of a strong fictional autobiographical character who through his proceedings explicitly determines the difference between reality and fiction. While his first novella established him as a coveted writer, it was his fourth publication that cemented his position in the world of publication. Winner of two National Book Awards, three PEN/Faulkner Awards, one Pulitzer Prize and a long list of other prestigious awards, he is known for bringing to life the character of Nathan Zuckerman, his alter-ego in many of his novels and novellas.

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Childhood & Early Life

Philip Roth was the second child born to Bess and Herman Roth in the Weequahic neighbourhood of Newark, New Jersey.

He completed much of his schooling from in the Weequahic High School graduating from the same in 1950. During his years at school, he was quite famous among his friends, colleagues and teachers for his wit and humor.

Finishing his preliminary education, he enrolled himself at the Bucknell University to attain a degree in English. Henceforth, he attained admission at the University of Chicago from where he received his MA in English Literature.

For a brief duration, he took up the profile of an instructor at the University of Chicago’s writing program. He then drafted himself into the United States Army which he served for two years.

Career

Post completing his military duties, he sought to write professionally. Starting off from writing fiction and criticism for various magazines, including movie reviews for The New Republic in 1959, he came out with his debut book, ‘Goodbye Columbus’ and Five Short Stories’ for which he received a National Book Award the following year.

The massive success of his debut venture inspired him to write further and consequently he came out with two more novels, ‘Letting Go’ and ‘When She Was Good’. While the former was published in 1962, the latter came five years later in 1967.

While he had received popularity as a writer, the big break still seemed distant. However, ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’, his fourth published novel, eradicated all such complaints and helped him gain widespread commercial and critical success thus cementing his position as a bestseller writer.

Not the one to limit his creative outflow, he experimented with various genres of writing all through the 1970s, from comedy to political satire. He came out with the novel, ‘Our Gant to the Kafkaesque The Breast’ that had David Kepesh as lead protagonist. He was reprised in the 1977 novel, ‘The Professor of Desire’

It was during the later years of the 1970s that he created his alter ego a fictional character by the name Nathan Zuckerman who featured in many of his novels and novellas.

Meanwhile, he took to teaching creative writing at the University of Iowa and Princeton University. Thereafter, he moved to the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught comparative literature before retiring from teaching in 1991.

The year 1995 witnessed the publication of his second National Book Award winning novel, ‘Sabbath’s Theatre’. Unlike his other books and novels, the main protagonist of the book is a lewd and coarse character Mickey Sabbath who is a disgraced former puppeteer.

In 1997, he came up with the first of what would become a Zuckerman trilogy, ‘American Pastoral’. A Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “American Pastoral’ depicts the life of a Newark athletic star and his tragedy when he comes to term with the fact that his own daughter has turned into a domestic terrorist.

In 1998, he came up with the second instalment of the series, ‘I Married a Communist’, which was later followed by ‘The Human Stain’ in 2000. While the former depicted the McCarthy era, the latter focussed on identity politics in 1990s America.

In 2001, he yet again reprised the character of David Kepesh for the short novel, ‘The Dying Animal’. Three years later, he cames up with the novel, ‘The Plot Against America’ wherein he fantasized America with Charles Lindbergh as its President.

He came up with his next publication, ‘Everyman’ in which he writes on a flashback mode relieving the childhood, desires, illness and the impending death of the protagonist who is unnamed all throughout. He however carries an uncanny resemblance to this ace writer.

He revived his character of Nathan Zuckerman yet again in 2007 with the publication of his novel, ‘Exit Ghost’. It has been the last of his Zuckerman novels till date.

In 2008 and 2009, he came up with his 29th and 30th books - ‘Indignation’ and ‘The Humbling’. While the former is set during the period of Korean War in 1951, the latter depicts the story of the last performance of Simon Axler.

In 2010, he came out with his 31st book, ‘Nemesis’ thus coming up with the final of the four short novels including, ‘Everyman’, ‘Indignation’ and ‘The Humbling’.

Awards & Achievements

He has twice won the National Book Award for ‘Goodbye, Columbus’ and Sabbath’s Theatre’. In 1986 and 1991, he won the National Book Critics Circle Award for ‘The Counterlife’ and ‘Patrimony’ respectively.

He was bestowed with the PEN/Faulkner Award for 'Operation Shylock’ in 1994. He received the prized award in 2001 for ‘The Human Stain’ and in 2007 for ‘Everyman’.

In 1998, he was conferred with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for the novel, ‘American Pastoral’. In the same year, he received the National Medal of Arts.

In 2001, he received the inaugural Franz Kafka Prize.

In 2002, he won the coveted Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Literature by the National Book Foundation.

In 2003, the Harvard University bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.

In 2011, he received the National Humanities Medal for 2010. The same year, he was conferred with the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.

In 2012, he won the Price of Asturias Awards for literature.

In 2013, he was made Commander of the Legion of Honor by the Republic of France.

Personal Life & Legacy

It was during his years at Chicago that he met novelist Margaret Martinson in 1956. Three years thence, the two went into the wedlock in 1959.

The couple annulled their marriage in 1963. However, a tragic car accident caused Martinson’s death in 1968. The incident caused him much grief and left a lasting impression on his works. She was an inspiration for many of his female characters.

In 1990, he took the marital vows again with long-time companion and English actress Claire Bloom. However, the unison did not last long as the two separated in 1994.

Trivia

It is said that this Pulitzer Prize winning novelist of the ‘American Pastoral’ fame reads novels of only dead writers such as Franz Kafka or Henry James and non-fiction books.

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Philip Roth's awards

YearNameAward

Other

2012Prince of Asturias Awards for literature
2005James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction
2005Sidewise Award for Alternate History
2001WH Smith Literary Award
2001PEN/Faulkner Award
2001Franz Kafka Prize
1998Pulitzer Prize
1995National Book Award
1960National Book Award
1986National Book Critics Circle Award (NBCCA)
1991National Book Critics Circle Award (NBCCA)
1994PEN/Faulkner Award
1998Ambassador Book Award of the English-Speaking Union
2008IMPAC Award
2009IMPAC Award
2010The Paris Review Hadada Prize
2011Man Booker International Prize
0
02006 - PEN/Nabokov Award for lifetime achievement
0 2007 - PEN/Faulkner Award
0 2007 - PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction

Philip Roth biography timelines

  • // 19th Mar 1933
    Philip Roth was the second child born to Bess and Herman Roth in the Weequahic neighbourhood of Newark, New Jersey.
  • // 1950
    He completed much of his schooling from in the Weequahic High School graduating from the same in 1950. During his years at school, he was quite famous among his friends, colleagues and teachers for his wit and humor.
  • // 1956 To 1959
    It was during his years at Chicago that he met novelist Margaret Martinson in 1956. Three years thence, the two went into the wedlock in 1959.
  • // 1959
    Post completing his military duties, he sought to write professionally. Starting off from writing fiction and criticism for various magazines, including movie reviews for The New Republic in 1959, he came out with his debut book, ‘Goodbye Columbus’ and Five Short Stories’ for which he received a National Book Award the following year.
  • // 1962 To 1967
    The massive success of his debut venture inspired him to write further and consequently he came out with two more novels, ‘Letting Go’ and ‘When She Was Good’. While the former was published in 1962, the latter came five years later in 1967.
  • // 1963 To 1968
    The couple annulled their marriage in 1963. However, a tragic car accident caused Martinson’s death in 1968. The incident caused him much grief and left a lasting impression on his works. She was an inspiration for many of his female characters.
  • // 1977
    Not the one to limit his creative outflow, he experimented with various genres of writing all through the 1970s, from comedy to political satire. He came out with the novel, ‘Our Gant to the Kafkaesque The Breast’ that had David Kepesh as lead protagonist. He was reprised in the 1977 novel, ‘The Professor of Desire’
  • // 1986 To 1991
    He has twice won the National Book Award for ‘Goodbye, Columbus’ and Sabbath’s Theatre’. In 1986 and 1991, he won the National Book Critics Circle Award for ‘The Counterlife’ and ‘Patrimony’ respectively.
  • // 1990 To 1994
    In 1990, he took the marital vows again with long-time companion and English actress Claire Bloom. However, the unison did not last long as the two separated in 1994.
  • // 1991
    Meanwhile, he took to teaching creative writing at the University of Iowa and Princeton University. Thereafter, he moved to the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught comparative literature before retiring from teaching in 1991.
  • // 1995
    The year 1995 witnessed the publication of his second National Book Award winning novel, ‘Sabbath’s Theatre’. Unlike his other books and novels, the main protagonist of the book is a lewd and coarse character Mickey Sabbath who is a disgraced former puppeteer.
  • // 1997
    In 1997, he came up with the first of what would become a Zuckerman trilogy, ‘American Pastoral’. A Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “American Pastoral’ depicts the life of a Newark athletic star and his tragedy when he comes to term with the fact that his own daughter has turned into a domestic terrorist.
  • // 1998 To 2000
    In 1998, he came up with the second instalment of the series, ‘I Married a Communist’, which was later followed by ‘The Human Stain’ in 2000. While the former depicted the McCarthy era, the latter focussed on identity politics in 1990s America.
  • // 1998
    In 1998, he was conferred with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for the novel, ‘American Pastoral’. In the same year, he received the National Medal of Arts.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, he yet again reprised the character of David Kepesh for the short novel, ‘The Dying Animal’. Three years later, he cames up with the novel, ‘The Plot Against America’ wherein he fantasized America with Charles Lindbergh as its President.
  • // 2001 To 2007
    He was bestowed with the PEN/Faulkner Award for 'Operation Shylock’ in 1994. He received the prized award in 2001 for ‘The Human Stain’ and in 2007 for ‘Everyman’.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, he received the inaugural Franz Kafka Prize.
  • // 2002
    In 2002, he won the coveted Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Literature by the National Book Foundation.
  • // 2003
    In 2003, the Harvard University bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.
  • // 2007
    He revived his character of Nathan Zuckerman yet again in 2007 with the publication of his novel, ‘Exit Ghost’. It has been the last of his Zuckerman novels till date.
  • // 2008 To 2009
    In 2008 and 2009, he came up with his 29th and 30th books - ‘Indignation’ and ‘The Humbling’. While the former is set during the period of Korean War in 1951, the latter depicts the story of the last performance of Simon Axler.
  • // 2010
    In 2010, he came out with his 31st book, ‘Nemesis’ thus coming up with the final of the four short novels including, ‘Everyman’, ‘Indignation’ and ‘The Humbling’.
  • // 2011
    In 2011, he received the National Humanities Medal for 2010. The same year, he was conferred with the prestigious Man Booker International Prize.
  • // 2012
    In 2012, he won the Price of Asturias Awards for literature.
  • // 2013
    In 2013, he was made Commander of the Legion of Honor by the Republic of France.

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Philip Roth's FAQ

  • What is Philip Roth birthday?

    Philip Roth was born at 1933-03-19

  • Where is Philip Roth's birth place?

    Philip Roth was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA

  • What is Philip Roth nationalities?

    Philip Roth's nationalities is American

  • Who is Philip Roth spouses?

    Philip Roth's spouses is Claire Bloom (m. 1990–1995), Margaret Martinson (m. 1959–1968)

  • What was Philip Roth universities?

    Philip Roth studied at Rutgers University,University Of Chicago, Weequahic High School, Bucknell University, University of Chicago

  • What was Philip Roth notable alumnis?

    Philip Roth's notable alumnis is Rutgers University, University Of Chicago

  • What is Philip Roth's religion?

    Philip Roth's religion is Jewish

  • Who is Philip Roth's father?

    Philip Roth's father is Herman Roth

  • Who is Philip Roth's mother?

    Philip Roth's mother is Bess (née Finkel)

  • What is Philip Roth's sun sign?

    Philip Roth is Pisces

  • How famous is Philip Roth?

    Philip Roth is famouse as Novelist