Everyman -Philip Roth

Everyone has been speaking of Philip Roth sp that I finally got one. It’s called Everyman and must be very new because it talks about post 9/11.

Everyman's Jewellery is the name of the shop of the protagonist’s father which he starts 'to leave something for his two sons'. Typical Jews. The sons make much more money in other fields. But that is incidental.

The story, told in a no-stopping -for -breath narrative is about death and disease.
Probably Roth has got to the stage himself. I have no idea never having read him before but judging from the blurbs, not one of his best. Still it holds one - the smooth flow of words and narrative.

It moves. The constant battle with the body. The unbearable pain. the embarrassment, the humiliation , the bewilderment of not being able to be active anymore. the diminishment of self which is hardest to bear.
"It’s so shameful.Not being able to look after oneself, the pathetic need to be comforted, the isolation, the dread”, cries a woman in a retirement community who has to psyche and drag herself through the day.

We can sympathize and resolve not to let it happen to us. But it does, seems to be Roth’s message. To everyman, blows must fall and among them are disease and death and there is little you can do about it. Just live and try to accept it as well a