The Anatomy Lesson

Rating:
Summary: An exasperating conclusion to an ambitious trilogy
Review: Closer to two-and-a-half-stars. "The Anatomy Lesson" illustrates much of what I don't care for in Roth's writing (and I *do* like much of what he writes). Nathan Zuckerman--who, in the first two novels of the trilogy, comes across as a nicely-layered character, possessing both a literary-romantic's heart and a vein of silent suffering for the pain his writing inadvertantly caused his family--is rendered starkly one-dimension in "The Anatomy Lesson"; he is, in fact, little more than Roth's stock character: sexually depraved, self-centered, fond of farce and farcical philosophizing, and obnoxiously loquacious. The ceaseless talktalktalk in this novel is irritating more than enlightening, and the various subplots and supporting characters are unconvincing and, frankly, often uninteresting. By the end of the novel, I could not wait for Zuckerman to zip his yapper; an unfortunate way to conclude what is otherwise a masterful trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: An exasperating conclusion to an ambitious trilogy
Review: Closer to two-and-a-half-stars. "The Anatomy Lesson" illustrates much of what I don't care for in Roth's writing (and I *do* like much of what he writes). Nathan Zuckerman--who, in the first two novels of the trilogy, comes across as a nicely-layered character, possessing both a literary-romantic's heart and a vein of silent suffering for the pain his writing inadvertantly caused his family--is rendered starkly one-dimension in "The Anatomy Lesson"; he is, in fact, little more than Roth's stock character: sexually depraved, self-centered, fond of farce and farcical philosophizing, and obnoxiously loquacious. The ceaseless talktalktalk in this novel is irritating more than enlightening, and the various subplots and supporting characters are unconvincing and, frankly, often uninteresting. By the end of the novel, I could not wait for Zuckerman to zip his yapper; an unfortunate way to conclude what is otherwise a masterful trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: Timeless wit
Review: My first Roth novel. Wow! First off, I have to say that I could not fully engage with the story until the third chapter. This is possibly due to my unfamiliarity of his style. But what lacks in the beginning of the story, is more than compensated for during the rest of this romp. How can you not have read Roth- you may ask? Well, it's not that I was unfamiliar with this genius, I've two of his other novels on my shelf- and as Nate Zuckerman said- 'The burden isn't that everything has to be a book. It's that everything *can* be a book.' Which leads me to the time factor. Oh, and yes this work *is* timeless. But, I digress- Get some Roth. You cannot go wrong with this one!

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Roth Book
Review: Roth's alter ego, Zuckerman consoles himself with the company of women when he is coping with a career change. Very descriptive sexual situations with the women he meets. For adult audiences only! Great writing! I fell in love with Roth and read many other books he has written after I read this book.

Rating:
Summary: SOARING, RICH, MAJESTIC...
Review: The words rain down like a cold shower; The Anatomy Lesson is this good, Roth a mandarin modern master.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Roth Book
Review: While I did not connect personally with the protagonist, per se, his self-pity, loathing, and utter helplessness make him somehow endearing and bewildering. Roth's humor is at its subtlest here -- very dry, sardonic.