NOTICE: (Updated March 5, 2010)

Beginning December 19, 2009, Books 'N Border Collies will be posting but only intermittently while I pursue personal goals. I plan to share some reading I'm doing, but there will be no reviews. I will, however, be sharing my exploration of vegetarian cooking and the cookbooks and websites I use to educate myself. I hope you enjoy it!

Lezlie



Sunday, May 10, 2009

THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA

by Philip Roth



"What if Charles A. Lindbergh, a noted isolationist and anti-semite, had defeated Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election?

When aviation hero Lindbergh wins on the Republican ticket, fear sweeps across America and into the homes of every Jewish family. In Newark, the Roths wonder what Lindbergh as president will mean to them. Before being elected, he had publicly lambasted the Jews for selfishly championing the war against Nazi Germany -- and now he's agreed to a 'nonaggression' policy with Hitler. Things take an even darker turn when all Jewish American communities are targeted for separation and relocation." (From the CD container)

The Plot Against America made me uneasy, because parts of it reminded me of things that were seen and heard during the last presidential election. If someone believes things like this could not happen in our more enlightened modern society, he or she may have to think again after reading this book.

As seems to be the case with most of Roth's work, the obvious concept is not the only one at work in the novel. The Plot Against America is often less about politics and more about overcoming personal fears, about the dynamics of family and community, about helping those who are in need no matter your own situation. If you've never read Philip Roth, this would be a good place to start.



10 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Sounds like one to make you think, that's for sure.

Lezlie said...

Bermudaonion ~ All four of his I've read have had the wheels turning in ways I wasn't execting. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

Lezlie

zetor said...

Thought provoking read. I will check out that author.

Lezlie said...

Zetor ~ You should! He has a ton of books to choose from.

Lezlie

Teddy Rose said...

Excellent review Lezlie! You really capture the essence of this book. It is the only Philip Roth book I have read before but is a really good one!

Lezlie said...

Teddy Rose ~ Thank you! It's tough to sum some of these up in only a couple of paragraphs, especially when the book as multi-layered at Roth's work is. So far, this is the Roth book I would recommend if people wanted to read him for the first time.

Lezlie

joanna said...

I've been wanting to read this for so long! nice to know that he pulls of the interesting idea!

Lezlie said...

Joanna ~ I think you would really like this one. I hope you're able to get to it. With all those challenges going, it must fit in somewhere! :-)

Lezlie

Anna said...

Hi Lezlie! We've posted your review on War Through the Generations.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Lezlie said...

Thanks, Anna!

Lezlie