Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of Portnoy's Complaint

Portnoy's Complaint
Portnoy's Complaint
Author: Philip Roth
ISBN-13: 9780679756453
ISBN-10: 0679756450
Publication Date: 9/20/1994
Pages: 304
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 59

3.5 stars, based on 59 ratings
Publisher: Vintage
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

6 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

kayprime avatar reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 38 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
'n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly- felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature.'

While reading this book, I wasn't really sure how to feel about it. Now that I have finished, I'm still unsure how to feel about it. The book is told from a very male and very Jewish point of view- neither of which with I can particularly connect. Assuming both perspectives are as authentic as everyone says (and as authentic as it feels, even to me- a female atheist), it's hard to view men as anything other than lecherous, selfish, sex- obsessed dicks and Jews as whiney, guilt- ridden elitists.

I can, however, relate to it's raw sense of humor and stream of consciousness style of writing. It is similar to Fight Club or American Psycho in that way (and equally similar in it's misogyny and depravity)- all of which are compliments to the book!
LaCygne avatar reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Completely obscene and uproariously funny.

There's not really much of a plot--just a man telling the story of his life in a monologue to his therapist. As a result, the narrative structure jumps around a lot, much the way the human mind works. One memory brings to mind another memory from years earlier or years later, and then you circle back once again to what you were talking about before.

Highly recommended.
Yoni avatar reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 327 more book reviews
Philip Roth can do no wrong in my eyes. This is the story of a man torn between his life as a righteous Jew and his sex addiction, particularly for "shiksas". This is full of Jewish reference, and I'm not sure one would care for it if they did not understand what it is to be Jewish and raised on Jewish guilt. Nonetheless, a great book!
reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 9 more book reviews
I started reading the book, and although reviews gave it high ratings, I couldn't get past the crude language and quit reading it.
reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 26 more book reviews
This is the seventh printing edition, 1969.
Paul-RLT avatar reviewed Portnoy's Complaint on + 176 more book reviews
Classic novel from 1960's.