Philip Roth is one of those writers that I don't always "get." He's very cerebral, and his humor is dry and witty and based on an a vast assumed knowledge base that includes the history of the modern world, political alliances, pharmaceutical industry practices and Judaism. I sometimes Google one of his sentences to get clues as to location, time period and key players. Not exactly light reading at bedtime, that is for sure!
I started to read Operation Shylock last year, and put it down for lighter reading on a business trip and then it got buried under a stack of books. I started it again in October, and it was slow going - there was always a novel "mind candy" that seemed like less work and more pleasure.
I finally finished it yesterday and felt that I had reached a milestone. Not quite sure I can tell you what the message is, though. I think it is something about self awareness, ego and how like mindless lemmings we all are.
But don't quote me!
Operation Shylock is viewed as one of Roth's finest novels and the story line is quite wonderful. He, Philip Roth, believes that an impostor is speaking and writing under his name in Israel. He is under medication from knee surgery, and so much of the novel has a surreal quality - but it also is surreal because Roth is basically chasing himself. The other Roth is convinced he's Roth - and is unshakable in his conviction. So much so, that Roth begins to wonder how he will ever route out the impostor and re-establish himself. It doesn't help that much of what the other Roth speaks and writes about is actually consistent with what Roth writes and speaks about. Well, only consistent if you are not actually Roth himself - as the narrator of the story would have us believe. The "other Roth" is actually quite a bit more radical, and more endearing to his Israeli audience. At a few point, I suspect that Roth understands that readers, the thinking class and some of his well connected friends actually like the other guy better.
Roth chases his double to Israel and then the story gets really complicated and convoluted. Roth has no special ability and so his struggle is what we'd all find in this situation - how do we attempt to discredit a double who has incredible credibility. We are powerless. We begin to doubt ourselves.
Many novelists use their characters to expound on theories they hold - both the every day and the extraordinary. Roth seems to use this novel to such purpose in the extreme. It seems every conversation he'd ever had over a stuffy conference dinner in Israel (as an accomplished writer, I imagine these are quite frequent) as the basis for some character's tirade. There are those about Israel's history, the Palestinian cause, the guilt of the survivor, why Jews talk so much and great recipes for borscht. I can't find a common theme, and perhaps that is the point. It gives the story a dreamlike quality. Long passages of soliloquy interspersed with chase scenes. No wonder this is considered comic genius!
I'm going to share this one with my friend Claire in Point Reyes, CA, because we talked about it last night and I think that she will enjoy the intrigue and the intellectual insight and debate. Maybe she can explain it all to us?!
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