The Philip Roth We Don’t Know poses provocative new questions about the author first by revisiting the long-running argument about Roth’s misogyny within the context of #MeToo, considering the most current perceptions of artists accused of sexual impropriety and the works they create, and so resituating the Roth debates. Berlinerblau also examines Roth’s work in the context of race, revealing how it often trafficked in stereotypes, and explores Roth’s six-decade preoccupation with unstable selves, questioning how this fictional emphasis on fractured personalities may speak to the author’s own mental state. Throughout, Berlinerblau confronts the critics of Roth —as well as his defenders, many of whom were uncritical friends of the famous author—arguing that the man taught us all to doubt 'pastorals,' whether in life or in our intellectual discourse.
The main value of this book may be simply in pointing toward an approach to Roth’s work through a #MeToo lens as well as that of Black Lives Matter. Problematic is Roth’s tendency toward meta-fiction; where does the fiction end and reality begin? In his analysis, Berlinerblau tries to explore this liminality, but to little affect. Instead, he makes assertions, then questions his own assertions, before finally dismissing them in a kind of miasma of meta-fiction and mystery. If only he had pressed into that difficulty with greater effort, he might have discovered something quite profound about the dwindling value of Roth’s work. Instead, readers are left with a brief book that somehow feels too long.
Drawing from opposing criticism of scholars as well as his own observations, the author demonstrates revealing methods for viewing Roth and his body of work. Although Berlinerblau’s conclusions are plausible, the method in which he articulates them is not always straightforward. He frequently sidetracks his own discussions and repeatedly states the intentions of his book and the direction he will be taking before making his points. Intriguing new perspectives on a contentious writer.
Berlinerblau takes a 'reverse biography' approach, investigating what may be revealed about the author’s life through his fiction ... However, he fails to adequately contextualize contemporary arguments about Roth’s racism and misogyny, referencing the possibility that contemporary critics could 'cancel' Roth, but neglecting to explain whether and how such criticism could tarnish the legacy of a deceased, well-regarded author. While Berlinerblau’s method of reverse biography is fascinating, this one doesn’t quite satisfy.
