In my childhood I led the life of a sage, when I grew up I started climbing trees — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
When I was a child... I was watching a snowstorm, and hopefully asked, 'Momma, do we believe in winter?' — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“Perhaps,' I wearily suggest, 'reading is the opiate of the educated classes.' 'Is it? Are you thinking of becoming a flower child?'… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
Everybody who flashed the signs of loyalty he took to be loyal. Everybody who flashed the signs of intelligence he took to… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
The legend engraved on the face of the Jewish nickel- on the body of every Jewish child!- not IN GOD WE TRUST,… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“If he had another brother he would call him. But for a brother he has only Jerry and Jerry has only him.… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“It’s a family joke that when I was a tiny child I turned from the window out of which I was watching… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
For someone whose roots in America were strong but only inches deep, and who had no experience, such as a Catholic child… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“Not even when everything was on top of him, not even when giving everyone what they needed from him at the factory… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“You think you know what a man is? You have no idea what a man is. You think you know what a… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“The kid, whose existence became a hallucination at seven, and a catastrophe at fourteen, and a disaster after that, whose vocation is… — Philip Roth Copy Share Image
“The old intergenerational give-and-take of the country-that-used-to-be, when everyone knew his role and took the rules dead seriously, the acculturating back-and-forth that all of… — Philip Roth Copy Share
You be greater than your feelings. I don't demand this of you - life does. Otherwise you'll be washed away by feelings. You'll be… — Philip Roth Copy Share
The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody… — Philip Roth Copy Share
To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that… — Philip Roth Copy Share
“There are no reasons. She is obliged to be as she is. We all are. Reasons are in books.” — Philip Roth Copy Share
“As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness.” — Philip Roth Copy Share
“What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.” — Philip Roth Copy Share
“Good Christ, a Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy, and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy till they die!” — Philip Roth Copy Share
“Better for real things to be uncontrollable, better for one's life to be undecipherable and intellectually impenetrable than to attempt to make casual sense… — Philip Roth Copy Share
“Doctor Spielvogel, it alleviates nothing fixing the blame - blaming is still ailing, of course, of course - but nonetheless, what was it with… — Philip Roth Copy Share
My God! The English language is a form of communication! Conversation isn't just crossfire where you shoot and get shot at! Where you've got… — Philip Roth Copy Share
You asked if I thought my fiction had changed anything in the culture and the answer is no. Sure, there's been some scandal, but… — Philip Roth Copy Share
