Sometimes, Darlings, Even God Has A Sense Of Humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                This has GOT to be some kind of Cosmic Joke!  You all know, as I have stated, that today is St. Joseph's Day, who happens to be the Patron Saint of the Catholic Church!  Do you know what else it also is?????????  The birthday of the he who is considered the Patron Saint of the Twentieth Century Jewish American Novel--Philip Roth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  And not just ANY birthday!  Today, Mr. Roth hits 80!!!!!!!!  The big 8-0!!!!!!!!!
After surviving heart surgery at a not too young age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    To think this would be Roth's birthday!  You have to laugh.  I am almost obligated to report it.

                                      I first heard of Philip Roth, in junior high, around 1969, when a movie called "Goodbye, Columbus" came out.  I still have never seen it, nor read the Roth novella it is based on, but there are several things it is famous for--the elevation of actor Richard Benjamin from sitcom star to film actor; the screen debut of a 30-year-old overaged, yet still attractive, ingenue, named Ali MacGraw, and the title song, recorded by The Association!!!!!!!!!!  How many out there remember the last, darlings?????????????

                                        Then in eighth grade, certain classmates were sneaking around a yellow dust jacketed volume, with the red lettered  words "Portnoy's Complaint" on it. Somehow, a copy found its way into my hands, and of course, I read it!  What a sexist pig!!!!!!!!!!!!!  A 300 page treatise to masturbation?????????
From the way Roth wrote, you would think he invented it.  Hey, Philip, how's your prostate doing now????????

                                           I read several of Roth's books for awhile, but stopped reading him when he wrote the novella "The Breast," a Kafkaesque tale of a man who turns into a female breast!!!!!!!!  I guess I knew where this guy's priorities lie, and I had no interest in reading about them.

                                             But then, decades later, he wrote "The Plot Against America," which was too compelling to be ignored.  And then  the New York Times Book Review, several years back, did a list of the "25 Best Works Of Fiction Of The Last 25 Years."  Six of Roth's novels made it onto this list and one--"American Pastoral"--made the Top Four.  I have read this last twice, and, darlings, I am telling you, even if you hate Roth's guts, this is his Masterpiece, a work of such social scope it is amazing the man who put Portnoy to paper had the insight to write this.  I am proud to have these two volumes in my book collection, but not that yellow thing, I am telling you!!!!!!!!!!  Oh, no!!!!!!!!!!!  On the same shelf with "The Song Of Bernadette?????????"  You have got to be kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              I wonder what Claire Bloom is thinking today. Because, after reading "Living In A Doll's house," which chronicles her marriage to Philip Roth, it is clear to know him is not to love him, and vice versa.  I bet even Philip Roth has trouble living with Philip Roth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Still, with me being a literary person, and he being a literary figure, there is no way I can let this milestone go by.  So, Happy 80th Birthday, Philip Roth!!!!!!!!!!  You are a mixed bag--like Joyce Carol Oates--but thanks the for masterpieces you DID give us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                As for the rest, that is what paper threaders are for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!