Portnoy's Complaint

Quite simply one of the funniest books ever written and an insightful glimpse into the male psyche, Portnoy stands up to the test of time. While some of the references might be dated and it would probably outrage people in America, who have become even more Puritanical than in 1969 (an equal spectrum offender of the right and left), the novel is a primal (and uproarious scream) of male desire, guilt, confusion, and identity crisis. Of course, it's also about the Jewish experience in white Anglo-Saxon America, where being an "other" or an outsider is part of Alex's identity. People who focus on the sex--and there's plenty (and hilarious) are missing the point. If you don't read this in the context of a therapy session, where nothing is off-limits and fantasies are exposed, you are misreading the book. How much of Alex's storytelling is real and how much is pure libidinal fantasy? There are no answers. All you know is that these are his forbidden desires. The section in Israel, where he goes impotent, is crucial to understanding precisely why he is in therapy and why he finds his shikses so desirable--they are forbidden and precisely what Sophie Portnoy doesn't want for him. A brilliant book with unmatched insight into the need to feel in control (Alex wants to play centerfield) when the world seems so chaotic, confusing, and out of control.

Not since Catch-22 have I read a book that could be so emotionally moving and so utterly hilarious to read. Roth's style is amazingly addictive, so that you feel like you have to keep reading to see what bizarre things happens next.

The main character of this story, Alexander Portnoy, is one of the most relatable characters I've read. At his core, he is a teenager in rebellion against his overbearing parents, trying to reconcile the societal pressure he feels to live up to their standards with a desire to have fun. Everyone has been Alexander Portnoy at one point in their lives. It's in the ridiculous ways that Alex tries to rebel that give this book it's edge.

Let it not be said that Phillip Roth is a shy writer. Portnoy's Complaint describes in exact detail the sexual escapades of our hero, both for the laughs and for the drama. While they aren't for everyone, I couldn't stop laughing and reading.

I recommend this book to anyone, especially college students going out into the world.