American Masters

Philip Roth: Unmasked

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Philip Roth: Unmasked

Often referred to as the greatest living American writer, Philip Roth's 31st novel -- and 4th film made from one of his novels -- will appear in 2012/13. 'Goodbye Columbus,' the collection of short stories published in 1959, put the 26-year old Roth on the map and 'Portnoy's Complaint,' 10 years later, propelled him into a scandalous spotlight. Yet he steadily earned the reputation as a man of letters, commanding ownership of the Jewish-American novel and making Newark, NJ a literary destination. He practically invented the genre of factual/fictional autobiography -- his thinly-veiled 'Zuckerman Trilogy' follows the protagonist's path from aspiring young writer to compromised celebrity. His career was considered dead by 1990 -- and then exploded with a dozen best sellers in the past two decades. This film bears out Roth's promise to the director: 'we'll speak of everything: women, rabbis, politicians, psycho-analysis, literary critics and me.'

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