OBITUARY: Henry Roth

Rosenheim, Andrew, The Independent (London, England)

Writer's block found its most magnificent ally in Henry Roth, but what he managed to write was and is important, and will last. Not one for half-measures, Roth published his first and most famous novel, Call It Sleep, in 1934, then waited for 60 years to publish a novel again. Another followed one year later, a third will appear in the spring; in all, six volumes are due, representing the most extraordinary late flowering of a writer thought for more than half a century to be a one-book wonder.

Call It Sleep, now considered a classic, was only respectfully received when it first appeared. Its account of the vicissitudes of immigrant life as seen through the eyes of David …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: OBITUARY: Henry Roth. Contributors: Rosenheim, Andrew - Author. Newspaper title: The Independent (London, England). Publication date: October 18, 1995. Page number: 16. © 2009 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.