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Mar 07, 2017 Jessica rated it liked it · review of another edition

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I have a love/hate relationship with Roth and these short stories keep me at my 50/50 stance.

Goodbye Columbus is a rather boring story of a pretty stereotypical summer romance. The saving grace is in the now (I'd like to think) historical emphasis on the virginal qualities young women were expected to maintain. So much fuss over a diaphragm. I was reminded of the Red Oaks series - it has that kind of "young love" snapshot feel.

Conversion of the Jews tells of a tween/teen struggling with Jewish I have a love/hate relationship with Roth and these short stories keep me at my 50/50 stance.

Goodbye Columbus is a rather boring story of a pretty stereotypical summer romance. The saving grace is in the now (I'd like to think) historical emphasis on the virginal qualities young women were expected to maintain. So much fuss over a diaphragm. I was reminded of the Red Oaks series - it has that kind of "young love" snapshot feel.

Conversion of the Jews tells of a tween/teen struggling with Jewish catechism (is that an oxymoron?) That sounds boring but it actually ends up rather an exciting event and quite funny, if in a very dark way.

Defender of the Faith is probably my favorite of the six stories. There is a minor plot line - guys in the army not sure where/if they are shipping out - but it's a great character study. While all of the stories are heavily character driven, this one seemed the most authentic to me. Or maybe the most complete. Even though it is our narrator we see most clearly, there is plenty of evidence to get inside the head of the antagonist. The recognition of similarities in the characters and the ability to make the reader switch "sides" a couple of times is pretty genius.

I haven't read a lot of other Roth (3-4 novels?) but Epstein reminded me the most of the other works I have read. Middle-aged guy, bogged down with life, tries for something more. It's fine. I'm not a middle-aged man so I don't totally identify. A few guffaws in this one, though.

I think I missed the point of You Can't Tell a Man by the Song He Sings. Another okay read but it's pretty much a couple characters who lose their charm pretty quickly simply to get to the "it goes on your permanent record" joke. Reminds me of the Simpsons episode where the substitute teacher goes to the Burning Guy festival. (I sound like I watch an awful lot of TV in this review...)

Eli The Fanatic finishes out the book on a rather sober tone. I don't know if it was meant to be a study on mental illness and/or religious identification and/or where the two intersect, but that is definitely what I took away from it. Deserves a second read and is probably the most literary piece. ...more

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Feb 09, 2017 Woodbury Public Library added it

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