Everyman

Paperback, 182 pages Published 2006 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction (2007) Philip Roth's new novel is a candidly intimate yet universal story of loss, regret, and stoicism. The best-selling author of The Plot Against America now turns his attention from "one family's harrowing encounter with history" (New York Times) to one man's lifelong skirmish with mortality. The fate of Roth's everyman is traced from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers, through the family trials and professional achievements of his vigorous adulthood, and into his old age, when he is rended by observing the deterioration of his contemporaries and stalked by his own physical woes. A successful commercial artist with a New York ad agency, he is the father of two sons from a first marriage who despise him and a daughter from a second marriage who adores him. He is the beloved brother of a good man whose physical well-being comes to arouse his bitter envy, and he is the lonely ex-husband of three very different women with whom he's made a mess of marriage. In the end he is a man who has become what he does not want to be. The terrain of this powerful novel -- Roth's twenty-seventh book and the fifth to be published in the twenty-first century -- is the human body. Its subject is the common experience that terrifies us all. Everyman takes its title from an anonymous fifteenth-century allegorical play, a classic of early English drama, whose theme is the summoning of the living to death. The hero of Everyman is obsessed with mortality. As he reminds himself at one point, "I'm 34! Worry about oblivion when you're 75." But he cannot help himself. He is the ex-husband in three marriages gone wrong. He is the father of two sons who detest him, despite a daughter who adores him. And as his health worsens, he is the envious brother of a much fitter man. A masterful portrait of one man's inner struggles, Everyman is a brilliant showcase for one of the world's most distinguished novelists. A Successful Commercial Artist With A New York Ad Agency, He Is The Father Of Two Sons From A First Marriage Who Despise Him And A Daughter From A Second Marriage Who Adores Him, He Is The Beloved Brother Of A Good Man Whose Physical Well-being Comes To Arouse His Bitter Envy, And He Is The Lonely Ex-husband Of Three Very Different Women With Whom He's Made A Mess Of Marriage. In The End He Is A Man Who Has Become What He Does Not Want To Be. From The Bookjacket. Philip Roth's New Novel Is A Candidly Intimate Yet Universal Story Of Loss, Regret, And Stoicism. [he] Now Turns His Attention From One Family's Harrowing Encounter With History (new York Times) To One Man's Lifelong Skirmish With Mortality. The Fate Of Roth's Everyman Is Traced From His First Shocking Confrontation With Death On The Idyllic Beaches Of His Childhood Summers, Through The Family Trials And Professional Achievements Of His Vigorous Adulthood, And Into His Old Age, When He Is Rended By Observing The Deterioration Of His Contemporaries And Stalked By His Own Physical Woes. A Successful Commercial Artist With A New York Ad Agency, He Is The Father Of Two Sons From A First Marriage Who Despise Him And A Daughter From A Second Marriage Who Adores Him. He Is The Beloved Brother Of A Good Man Whose Physical Well-being Comes To Arouse His Bitter Envy, And He Is The Lonely Ex-husband Of Three Very Different Women With Whom He's Made A Mess Of Marriage. In The End He Is A Man Who Has Become What He Does Not Want To Be. The Terrain Of This Powerful Novel -- Roth's Twenty-seventh Book And The Fifth To Be Published In The Twenty-first Century -- Is The Human Body. Its Subject Is The Common Experience That Terrifies Us All. Everyman Takes Its Title From An Anonymous Fifteenth-century Allegorical Play, A Classic Of Early English Drama, Whose Theme Is The Summoning Of The Living To Death. Philip Roth. "The fate of Roth's everyman is traced from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers, through the family trials and professional achievements of his vigorous adulthood, and into his old age, when he is rended by observing the deterioration of his contemporaries and stalked by his own physical woes." "A successful commercial artist with a New York ad agency, he is the father of two sons from a first marriage who despise him and a daughter from a second marriage who adores him. He is the beloved brother of a good man whose physical well-being comes to arouse his bitter envy, and he is the lonely ex-husband of three very different women with hom he's made a mess of marriage. In the end he is a man who has become what he does not want to be."--Jacket. Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Everyman is a candidly intimate yet universal story of loss, regret and stoicism. The novel takes its title from a classic of early English drama, whose theme is the summoning of the living to death. The fate of Roth's everyman is traced from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers, through the family trials and professional achievements of his vigorous adulthood, and into his old age when he is stalked with physical woes. The terrain of this powerful novel is the human body. Its subject is the common experience that terrifies us all. "A successful commercial artist with a New York ad agency, he is the father of two sons from a first marriage who despise him and a daughter from a second marriage who adores him, He is the beloved brother of a good man whose physical well-being comes to arouse his bitter envy, and he is the lonely ex-husband of three very different women with whom he's made a mess of marriage. In the end he is a man who has become what he does not want to be."-- Book jacket Traces the fate of Everyman, from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers and during his hospitalisation as a nine-year-old surgical patient through the crises of health that come close to killing him as a vigorous adult, and into his old age. From the author of 'The Plot Against America', 'Everyman' is a painful human story of the regret and stoicism of a man who becomes what he does not want to be. The terrain of this savagely sad novel is the human body, and its subject is the common experience that terrifies us all - death