The world of the American Jew provides the cultural milieu for the title short novel and five stories by a young writer familiar to readers of the New Yorker, Esquire, Commentary and the Paris Review. The subjects are not unusual--a young man on the make socially, intellectually and amorously; love and middle-age; the problems of growing up, etc.--But Mr. Roth's treatment of his characters and themes is notable in its intensity, masterly fusing of esthetic approaches, Salinger-like ear for dialogue, humor and maturity of outlook. A Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship Award (and a good deal more literary than some recent choices) this is a must for all readers interested in the contemporary American literary scene.
