Like many people, I was saddened when it was publicized that Philip Roth
had quietly announced his retirement in an interview with a French
magazine. By chance, the news came near the end of a year during which
my attitude toward Roth changed from appreciation to obsession. Before
2012, I had read perhaps 10 of Roth’s books in a decade. This year, I
read 15 Roth novels in a row, the literary equivalent of binge-watching
multiple seasons of a serial television drama. The more I read, the more I appreciated how Roth writes not only with technical virtuosity and aesthetic mastery, but also with profound spiritual intent.
