Goodbye, Columbus

And Five Short Stories

By: Philip Roth

Narrated by: Ramiz Monsef, Jonathan Davis, Robert Fass

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer of explosive wit, merciless insight, and a fierce compassion comes a novella that illuminates the subterranean conflicts between parents and children and friends and neighbors in the American Jewish diaspora.

Goodbye, Columbus is the story of Neil Klugman and pretty, spirited Brenda Patimkin. Neil comes from poor Newark, while Brenda is of suburban Short Hills. On one summer break, they meet and dive into an affair that is as much about social class and suspicion as it is about love.

The novella is accompanied by five short stories that range in tone from the iconoclastic to the astonishingly tender.

Philip Roth’s award-winning first book instantly established its author’s acclaimed reputation.

©1959 Philip Roth, Copyright renewed 1987 by Philip Roth (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

A masterpiece

What a pleasant surprise to have waited more than 50 years to discover the genius of Roth’s masterful storytelling. Beautiful stories and excellent narration.

Enjoy!

Great Collection of Contemporary Jewish Stories

I enjoyed Roth’s collection of contemporary Jewish stories. They are filled with humor and tension as the Old World Jewish ways clash with assimilated Jewish ways in contemporary America. “Eli, the Fanatic” was a wonderful story that illustrates this tension between the old and new. I highly recommend this book.

All the protagonists were very unlikable.

Depressing….There was no one to root for
as they were all awful, despicable people.
I did not enjoy the book.