by Philip Roth
First published 1980
Nathan Zuckerman arrives at the Lonoff colony as a young writer seeking guidance from E.I. Lonoff, the distinguished author he reveres. The older writer lives quietly with his wife Hope in rural New England, devoted to his craft but increasingly isolated from the world. During Zuckerman's visit, tensions emerge between the aging couple, complicated by the presence of Amy Bellette, Lonoff's former student who now works as his assistant. As the evening unfolds, Zuckerman observes the complex dynamics between his mentor and the two women in his life. Amy's mysterious past haunts the household, while Hope grows restless with their secluded existence. Zuckerman finds himself caught between his admiration for Lonoff's artistic dedication and his growing awareness of the personal costs of such single minded devotion to literature. The young writer must confront what it truly means to choose the writing life.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, mentor-mentee
Setting: Lonoff Colony, New England
Period: 20th Century
248 pages · Hardcover · G. K. Hall