Literature isn't a moral beauty contest. Its power arises from the authority and audacity with which the impersonation is pulled off; the belief it inspires is what counts. Philip Roth ariseaudacityauthority Change image and share on social
I cannot and do not live in the world of discretion, not as a writer, anyway. I would prefer to, I assure you - it would make life easier. But discretion is, unfortunately, not for novelists. Philip Roth assurediscretioneasy Change image and share on social
Sheer Playfulness and Deadly Seriousness are my closest friends. Philip Roth closedeadlyfriend Change image and share on social
I do the same kind of rewriting that I do in the shorts that I do in long books - and that is a lot. The book really comes to life in the rewriting. Philip Roth bookkindlife Change image and share on social
Writing is frustration - it's daily frustration, not to mention humiliation. It's just like baseball: you fail two-thirds of the time. Philip Roth baseballdailyfail Change image and share on social
Fear tends to manifest itself much more quickly than greed, so volatile markets tend to be on the downside. In up markets, volatility tends to gradually decline. Philip Roth declinedownsidefear Change image and share on social
I don't know any writer for whom it comes easily. Maybe John Updike - a story would just seem to come to him whole, you know, out of a personal experience. But the rest of us, I think, are not so lucky, and I had to work hard, yeah. Philip Roth easilyexperiencehard share on social
It was my great problem to solve: how to write a book, you know. And after you write one, you have to write another to prove to yourself you can do it again. Philip Roth bookgreatproblem Change image and share on social
My traducers propound my alleged malefaction as though I have spewed venom on women for half a century. But only a madman would go to the trouble of writing 31 books in order to affirm his hatred. Philip Roth affirmallegebook Change image and share on social
Life is just a short period of time in which you are alive. Philip Roth alivelifeperiod Change image and share on social
