Philip Roth
Philip Roth
Philip Milton Roth is an American novelist...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth19 March 1933
CountryUnited States of America
silence mind literature
Literature takes a habit of mind that has disappeared. It requires silence, some form of isolation, and sustained concentration in the presence of an enigmatic thing.
children believe winter
When I was a child... I was watching a snowstorm, and hopefully asked, 'Momma, do we believe in winter?'
dark goes-on convince
Being in the dark from sentence to sentence is what convinces me to go on.
miracle understanding too-late
Too late, but I understand. That we don't perish of understanding everything too late, that is a miracle. But we do perish of that -- of just that.
men parent alive
A Jewish man with his parents alive is half the time a helpless infant!
enjoyable
Like all enjoyable things, you see, it has unenjoyable parts to it.
too-much human-nature humans
You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesn't annihilate human nature.
playfulness seriousness closest
Sheer Playfulness and Deadly Seriousness are my closest friends.
reality way
There’s no remaking reality... Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There’s no other way.
dream doctors needs
Dreams? If only they had been! But I don't need dreams, Doctor, that's why I hardly have them—because I have this life instead. With me it all happens in broad daylight!
materials happens
Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.
hands giving stills
It's best to give while your hand is still warm.
people ideology
You cannot observe people through an ideology. Your ideology observes for you.
world novelists easier
I cannot and do not live in the world of discretion, not as a writer, anyway. I would prefer to, I assure you - it would make life easier. But discretion is, unfortunately, not for novelists.