Rating: 
Summary: A Taste of Things to Come
Review: In Goodbye Columbus, Philip Roth first displayed his subconcious mind-probing virtuosity and the anti-hero proto-character, which would both become trademarks of his. Packaged with five very worthwhile short stories, this book, despite its simplicity, or perhaps because of it, remains one of Roth's most endearing creations.
Rating: 
Summary: Hello Young Lovers
Review: In Goodbye, Columbus, Philip Roth weaves a tale about the assimilation of the American Jew which reached its height in the 1950's. As outward displays of anti-semitism began to decrease, the Jewish community faced a moral crisis. How much of our heritage need we or should we retain in this "golden land".
The message of Philip Roth in all of his works, but especially his inaugural one, is that American Jews have payed a price for acceptance. They have traded in their ghetto mentality for a ticket to the American Dream. While many would welcome such a transformation, Roth unabashedly condemns it.
In the character of Brenda Patimkin, we are presented with the archtypical "Jewish American Princess" materialistic yet vulnerable. Neil Klugman is exactly the opposite, the symbol of the "old-world" Jew who lives with his Aunt and Uncle in the city. Despite their differences Brenda and Neil eventually fall in love only to discover that their inner attitudes are the diametric opposites to their outward characteristics. It is Brenda who is concerned in a old fashioned sense about what her parents think of her pre-marital affair.
In Goodbye, Columbus Roth describes the foibles and makeup of the Jewish American community which, like Newark, was coming apart at the seams in the middle of the twentieth century.
H.Brookman-Elizabeth, New Jersey
Rating:
Summary: A Story That Can Remind You of any old summer love.
Review: Indeed a book worth reading. Neil and Brenda's love affair is a clear example of materialism in love affairs. They also show a great amount of common sense as developed by Roth, which is very representative of his own life. Although brief, the characters are well developed, their attitudes are representative of the temporal setting (around the 60's), which sets the mood effectively. At first, we thought that the story was a bit slow, but near the end, the finale is magnificently narrated, showing the characters more humane than in any other part of the novel. We would recommend this story because you might feel connected to any of the main characters. Finally, don't forget to take a look at the title's symbolism; this can be a key factor in determining the true meaning of the novel (Tahiti-Gaugin-The Patimikin's fridge filled with exotic fruit-Christopher Columbus?-New World?-Neil's New World?).
Rating: 
Summary: Goodbye Brenda, Goodbye
Review: It is an excelent story for everyone even young readers. It is one of those stories that applies to everyone and everywhere. A must read for all. Highly recomended. The end was a bit predictable but still a good book.
Rating:
Summary: A Page in everybody's book of life
Review: It's a literary masterpiece, realistic as it can be, Goodbye Columbus makes you feel as if you were 19 again. Neil's way of looking at life makes him a very interesting protagonist. For example the way he relates to the little black kid of the library. Roth really scored a hundred with this book, he makes the reader relates to the selfish feeling of a typical College student, like Brenda. It makes you laugh going into two different mentalities such as Neil's and Brenda's. What makes it the best is that at the end the reader can make his own conclusions about what happened in the story and why it is name like that.
Rating:
Summary: A page in everybody's book of life.
Review: It's a literary masterpiece, realistic as it can be, Goodbye Columbus makes you feel as if you were 19 again. Neil's way of looking at life makes him a very interesting protagonist.
Roth really scored a hundred whit this book, he makes the reader relates to the selfish feeling of a typical collage student, like Brenda. It makes you laugh going into two different mentalities such as Neil's and Brenda's. Intriguing enough not to let the reader know every detail, but to give him the opportunity of drawing your own conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: A summer romance of a rich girl and an insecure young man
Review: My favorite Roth book. There's a yearning here in a young man who loves a girl he really has nothing in common with. Roth captures the summer romance of youth. During the day, hanging out at her parents house and eating their food without feeling they have to pay for anything. And at night, he steals into her bed, sneaking into movies that are half over. It has a real fifties-early sixties feel, and I highly recommended the film (When I first saw it as a teenager it stunned me because I never saw a romance in films that didn;t work out because of differences--I mean it's Hollywood right, doesn;t everything end happily and people see the error of their ways through love. Well no.) I think the book is an excellent way for anyone to remember their own summer loves. It's plaintive, irritating, and awkward feel--really, the way I recall those moments too. Being in love but trying to find yourself as life comes between you and your youth. I re-read this book every year, and my only complaint is the male character isn't fleshed out enough, but then I think that is the way of being young and self-conscious, the adult world shifts by you, you feel detached and an observor. But passion is passion and it's there. And rueful but appreciated memories.
Rating:
Summary: about American Jewish experience through a relationship
Review: Neil first sees the elusive Brenda when she asks him to hold her glasses at the country club Neil is visiting. This book is a vital part of the collection of writings about the American Jewish experience. Through the puzzling
relationship of two young people, one rich and one poor-the conflict of Jews who have made it and those who have not is evident.
The brutal business world is shown through the crude,unsophisticated yet loving manner of Mr. Patimkin, a sinkmaker and his brother, a salesman.
This first generation has struggled for wealth and admires it while Ron, Brenda, and her boyfriend are foreign to Judaism and to the desire and necessity of earning a good living. Brenda's mother struggles with the ambition to be young and beautiful like her daughter and is angry at her daughter because Brenda is used to luxury. Brenda and her boyfriend finally end their summer fling as they realize the divide between their worlds really is too great. The metaphor of Brenda being too nearsighted to see without her glasses continues as she is too "myopic" to manage to sustain their relationship. She is sorry but unwilling to grow or sacrifice for Neil.
Rating:
Summary: Say Goodbye to Columbus, and hello to a great writer
Review: Not many writers had such a great debut as Philip Roth with his 'Goodbye, Columbus'. His harshest critics may say he has had ups and downs in his career, but no one can say that his first book is not superb --even those who don't like it. Crafting with a short novella, Roth was able to display all his qualities that he would develop later on with his books. 'Columbus' is nothing more than the simple story of a summertime love. A Jewish boy named Neil meets a girl, who belongs to an upper level in society, they fall in love, and, above everything, have to deal with their social difference. But the way Roth writer is so simply profound and beautiful, that it is impossible no to be touched by this little masterpiece. The characters are so well developed, that the more one reads the more compelling the story becomes. Not failing to mention such a fresh sense of humor that makes this novella very funny. This same quality appears in the other five short stories gathered in this Vintage edition. One may complain that Roth has not much creativity, writing about only one subject: the young Jewish man in the late 50's. But that is not really true. His stories are similar not because of the lack of imagination, but because the writer cares to focus his attention in this subject. And, although, it seems a limited issue at first, with his words it becomes easily universal, because above all the stories concern on the human condition. Among the stories, it is possible to find one the finest Roth's short texts: 'Defender of the faith'. The surreality of the proximity of the war and the dispute between the two main characters somehow reminds the tour de force present in the movies made by Amos Gitai. The absurd of the situation, and the characters focusing on another --maybe smaller-- issue are funny, when we don't think of the imminent situation. One doesn't have to look any further to find hints of the themes and characters that would be present in further works. The daughter in 'Epstein' is somehow a draft of the daughter who would appear much more developed in his novel 'American Pastoral'. All in all, 'Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories' is a good introduction for those curious to get into Roth's universe, and, it is a fundamental reading for the ones who like his books.
Rating: 
Summary: Unexpected
Review: Not many writers had such a great debut as Philip Roth with his `Goodbye, Columbus'. His harshest critics may say he has had ups and downs in his career, but no one can say that his first book is not superb --even those who don't like it. Crafting with a short novella, Roth was able to display all his qualities that he would develop later on with his books. `Columbus' is nothing more than the simple story of a summertime love. A Jewish boy named Neil meets a girl, who belongs to an upper level in society, they fall in love, and, above everything, have to deal with their social difference. But the way Roth writer is so simply profound and beautiful, that it is impossible no to be touched by this little masterpiece. The characters are so well developed, that the more one reads the more compelling the story becomes. Not failing to mention such a fresh sense of humor that makes this novella very funny. This same quality appears in the other five short stories gathered in this Vintage edition. One may complain that Roth has not much creativity, writing about only one subject: the young Jewish man in the late 50's. But that is not really true. His stories are similar not because of the lack of imagination, but because the writer cares to focus his attention in this subject. And, although, it seems a limited issue at first, with his words it becomes easily universal, because above all the stories concern on the human condition. Among the stories, it is possible to find one the finest Roth's short texts: `Defender of the faith'. The surreality of the proximity of the war and the dispute between the two main characters somehow reminds the tour de force present in the movies made by Amos Gitai. The absurd of the situation, and the characters focusing on another --maybe smaller-- issue are funny, when we don't think of the imminent situation. One doesn't have to look any further to find hints of the themes and characters that would be present in further works. The daughter in `Epstein' is somehow a draft of the daughter who would appear much more developed in his novel `American Pastoral'. All in all, `Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories' is a good introduction for those curious to get into Roth's universe, and, it is a fundamental reading for the ones who like his books.
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