Home»
Philip Roth Quotes

97 Philip Roth Quotes That Will Broaden Your Horizon

Famous As: One of the Most Awarded American Writers of His Generation

Born On: March 19, 1933

Died On: May 22, 2018

Born In: Newark, New Jersey, United States

Died At Age: 85

Philip Milton Roth, who gained critical attention with his novella 'Goodbye, Columbus' in 1959 is a renowned American novelist. The book paints a humorous picture of an average Jew's life that fetched him the U.S. National Book Award in the category of fiction. A majority of Roth's fiction works are set against the background of New Jersey and Newark. As a writer, he has a supple, ingenious style. His autobiographical descriptions and social philosophy blurs the distinction between fiction and reality. Roth's publication "Portnoy's Complaint" (1969) is a psychoanalytical monologue of a lust-ridden Jewish bachelor who's addicted to young mothers. Despite being humorous, he was criticized for the sexually explicit content, use of abusive language and shameful details. Roth's most popular character Nathan Zuckerman portrays his fictional alter ego and appeared in several novels including the Human Stain. He earned the National Book Award for Goodbye, Columbus (1960), the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral (1997) and the National Book Critics Circle award. He won PEN/Faulkner Award three times in his life, UK's WH Smith Literary Award and the Franz Kafka Prize at Prague. He also won the Man Booker International Prize for his lifetime achievement in fiction. Roth, who's an incredibly talented literary troublemaker, explores uncomfortable family and cultural issues to inspire the youth with his work. We’ve collected some of the most “optimistic” quotes penned by Philip Roth, one of America’s most celebrated and thematically grim novelists. Presenting a collection of Philip Roth quotes that have been lifted from his novels, writings and sayings!

Listed In:

Writers

Everybody else is working to change, persuade, tempt and control them. The best readers come to fiction to be free of all that noise.

Everybody else is working to change, persuade, tempt and control them. The best readers come to fiction to be free of all that noise.
Change
Philip Roth

He had learned the worst lesson that life can teach - that it makes no sense.

He had learned the worst lesson that life can teach - that it makes no sense.
Life
Philip Roth

You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesn't annihilate human nature.

You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesn't annihilate human nature.
You Nature
Philip Roth

Stop worrying about growing old. And think about growing up.

Stop worrying about growing old. And think about growing up.
Think
Philip Roth

Because that is when you love somebody - when you see them being game in the face of the worst. Not courageous. Not heroic. Just game.

Because that is when you love somebody - when you see them being game in the face of the worst. Not courageous. Not heroic. Just game.
You Love
Philip Roth

The pleasure isn't in owning the person. The pleasure is this. Having another contender in the room with you.

The pleasure isn't in owning the person. The pleasure is this. Having another contender in the room with you.
You
Philip Roth

Literature takes a habit of mind that has disappeared. It requires silence, some form of isolation, and sustained concentration in the presence of an enigmatic thing.

Literature takes a habit of mind that has disappeared. It requires silence, some form of isolation, and sustained concentration in the presence of an enigmatic thing.
Philip Roth

You tasted it. Isn't that enough? Of what do you ever get more than a taste? That's all we're given in life, that's all we're given of life. A taste. There is no more.

You tasted it. Isn't that enough? Of what do you ever get more than a taste? That's all we're given in life, that's all we're given of life. A taste. There is no more.
You Life
Philip Roth

Actually we did not have the feelings we said we had until we spoke them--at least I didn't; to phrase them was to invent them and own them.

Actually we did not have the feelings we said we had until we spoke them--at least I didn't; to phrase them was to invent them and own them.
I
Philip Roth

How easy life is when it's easy, and how hard when it's hard.

How easy life is when it's easy, and how hard when it's hard.
Life
Philip Roth

Maybe the best thing would be to forget being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride. But if you can do that -- well, lucky you.

Maybe the best thing would be to forget being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride. But if you can do that -- well, lucky you.
You
Philip Roth

You cannot observe people through an ideology. Your ideology observes for you.

You cannot observe people through an ideology. Your ideology observes for you.
You
Philip Roth

All that we don’t know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.

All that we don’t know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.
Philip Roth

I came to New York and in only hours, New York did what it does to people: awakened the possibilities. Hope breaks out.

I came to New York and in only hours, New York did what it does to people: awakened the possibilities. Hope breaks out.
Hope I
Philip Roth

It's best to give while your hand is still warm.

It's best to give while your hand is still warm.
Philip Roth

Life is just a short period of time in which you are alive.

Life is just a short period of time in which you are alive.
You Life Time
Philip Roth

You can no more make someone tell the truth than you can force someone to love you.

You can no more make someone tell the truth than you can force someone to love you.
You Love
Philip Roth

--nor had I understood til then how the shameless vanity of utter fools can so strongly determine the fate of others

--nor had I understood til then how the shameless vanity of utter fools can so strongly determine the fate of others
I
Philip Roth

Nothing lasts and yet nothing passes either, and nothing passes just because nothing lasts.

Nothing lasts and yet nothing passes either, and nothing passes just because nothing lasts.
Philip Roth

Everyone becomes a part of history whether they like it or not and whether they know it or not.

Everyone becomes a part of history whether they like it or not and whether they know it or not.
Like History
Philip Roth

I am marked like a road map from head to toe with my repressions. You can travel the length and breadth of my body over superhighways of shame and inhibition and fear.

I am marked like a road map from head to toe with my repressions. You can travel the length and breadth of my body over superhighways of shame and inhibition and fear.
You Like Fear I
Philip Roth

There are no uncontaminated angels
Philip Roth

I turn sentences around. That's my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again...

I turn sentences around. That's my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again...
Life I
Philip Roth

Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.

Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.
Philip Roth

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 washed out to sea and never seen again.

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 washed out to sea and never seen again.
You Life Never I
Philip Roth

Doctor doctor, what do you say, lets put the id back in yid

Doctor doctor, what do you say, lets put the id back in yid
You
Philip Roth

There’s no remaking reality... Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There’s no other way.

There’s no remaking reality... Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There’s no other way.
Philip Roth

Old age isn't a battle: old age is a massacre.

Old age isn't a battle: old age is a massacre.
Philip Roth

The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.

The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.
Philip Roth

I kept waiting for him to lay bare something more than this pointed unobjectionableness, but all that rose to the surface was more surface

I kept waiting for him to lay bare something more than this pointed unobjectionableness, but all that rose to the surface was more surface
I
Philip Roth