I am a Rothian, amongst other things. My favorite author, alongside David Foster Wallace (check out the Slate article about him and Wittgenstein), whom i have read and idolized since Goodbye and Portnoy. Have interrupted Reggie to read Nemesis. Have annotated the books, noting things of interest to me, including: martinis, sex, and baseball. Lots of baseball references. He likes the Mets.

I've really got to get around to reading Roth one of these days. Big gap for me.

Tough choice where to start. If you haven't read Portnoy or Goodbye, including the short stories, I would think you start there. You as a writer, reviewer, editor, and critic could then move on to Ghost Writer, and the other two initial Zuckerman books. Or you could read American Pastoral to meet one of literature's greatest characters, who, if not of that high a pedestal sitter, is Phil's best character. After that, just stick your hand into the bookshelf. Lots to say about many of them.

The Breast is very Kafkaesque. And, of course, The Great American Novel, which is in my top five baseball books.

I will treat you to lunch at the New York Deli in Price Chopper in South Burlington to discuss any Roth writing.