 |
Philip RothAmerican writer
Date of Birth: 19.03.1933
Country:  USA |
Content:
American writer
At the moment, Roth is one of the most highly acclaimed writers of his generation; his books have twice won the National Book Award, twice the National Book Critics Circle Award, and three times the PEN/Faulkner Award. Philip Roth was born near Newark, New Jersey; he was the second child of Herman Roth and his wife Bess, both of Jewish Galician descent.
Education
Roth received his education at Bucknell University, where he earned a degree in English. He then continued his studies at the University of Chicago, where he not only obtained a master's degree in English literature, but also worked as an instructor in the university's literary program. Roth later taught creative writing at the University of Iowa and Princeton University before continuing his teaching career at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught literature courses. Roth left teaching in 1991.
Personal Life
While in Chicago, Roth met Margaret Martinson, who became his first wife. However, their marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in 1963. Tragically, Margaret died in a car accident in 1968. These two events had a profound impact on Roth's life and greatly influenced his writing. It was with Martinson that Roth shared the characters of several of his works.
After completing his studies and before publishing his first book, Roth served in the U.S. Army for two years. Following his military service, he wrote short stories and critical articles for various magazines. Roth drew inspiration from his personal experiences, with the descriptions of postoperative setbacks being partially based on his own side effects from taking triazolam in the 1980s. It later became known that the use of this medication could cause temporary mental disorders in some cases.
In 1990, Roth married English actress Claire Bloom, but they divorced in 1994. In 1996, Bloom published her memoir, which provided a detailed and often unflattering account of their life together.
Literary Career
Roth first tasted fame with the publication of his novella "Goodbye, Columbus." In 1969, his highly provocative and intimate novel "Portnoy's Complaint" was released, featuring a monologue of a passion-driven Jewish bachelor dependent on his mother. Many of Roth's works are heavily autobiographical, with the setting often taking place in his hometown of Newark.
Roth is currently regarded as one of the most highly esteemed writers of his generation. His books have twice won the National Book Award, twice the National Book Critics Circle Award, and three times the PEN/Faulkner Award. In 2012, Roth received the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature for his contributions to American literature. In 1997, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "American Pastoral," which introduced the character Nathan Zuckerman, who would go on to feature in several of Roth's works.
