Philip Roth to Retire from Writing

In an interview that Philip Roth gave to the French magazine Les inRocks, he made a statement that has been having quite an impact on the literary world. Put bluntly, he told the interviewer, “To tell you the truth, I’m done.” When asked about the possibility of another book, Roth responded, “I don’t think a new book will change what I’ve already done, and if I write a new book it will probably be a failure. Who needs to read one more mediocre book?” He went on to say, “I am seventy-eight years old, I don’t know anything anymore about America today. I see it on TV, but I am not living it anymore.”

For the complete interview, visit the Les inRocks website.