The Plot Against America

By: Philip Roth

Narrated by: Ron Silver

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In an astonishing feat of empathy and narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history.

In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected president. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism. For one boy growing up in Newark, Lindbergh's election is the first in a series of ruptures that threaten to destroy his small, safe corner of America - and with it his mother, his father, and his older brother.

©2004 Philip Roth (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What if FDR hadn't been re-elected?

Any additional comments?

Philip Roth is one of my favorite authors. Interested in the human condition, the Jewish-American condition, and the male condition, his books each offer a unique exploration into a compelling topic with universal themes.

The genius about this book in particular is how Roth examines the issue of America "selling out" to Hitler from many plausible yet conflicting viewpoints. From the indignant father to the quietly prideful mother, to the damaged orphan nephew to the lonely aunt to the ever curious boy, anti-semitic events are presented, described, experienced and analyzed with clearly developed voices that reach out from the 1940's to touch our hearts today, in the age of Internet-based news and every changing political grounds.

I found this book to be very rewarding, both from a literary and a plot standpoint. The story arc progresses steadily until the last 15% of the book, where the pace increases to frenetic, confrontation leaps out on every page, and conflicting viewpoints are resolved.

I highly recommend! And the narrator is pitch perfect with his accent. Bravo!!

Very intriguing Alternate Historical Fiction

Great choice in narrator really set the scene in this WWII historical fiction about what would have happened if an anti-Semitic, nationalist president had been in office before and during the war. The book was mostly told from the perspective of a young pre-teen middle class jewish boy witnessing an ever increasingly anti-Semitic America. The author well characterizes his both rational and irrational fears, worries, concerns and understanding of the world. Well done.

I loved the scene where his mother comforts and assists a young boy who is scared and alone, and how her motherly love shines through so caringly and touchingly in the writing.

Near the end there were frequently more moments in the writing where the story moved from young Phillip's voice to perhaps and older version of Phillip who tells more historical information and occurrences that wrapped up the story rather quickly. This felt a bit odd, if not somewhat rushed. I wish we could have seen more of that ending through Phillip's eyes.

Great read. Interesting parallels between the election in the book to our recent 2016 election, especially the America First rhetoric employed by both the fictional president and our new president.

Great performance of a tedious story

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the condensed nature of TV and movie story telling as the reason I struggled to stay interested. I found the underlying plot to be very interesting and I enjoyed the “history” so that I found it necessary to search the actual historical facts and therefore learned as a result of listening. The narration was excellent but the depth of detail dragged for me. I’m glad I listened to the story versus reading the book as I’d never have made it through this book.

Decent read, slow in spots

I did a combo audio/print book. I thought it was good, but there were many slow parts. I am not sure the style of writing is for me, but it was interesting enough to hold my attention. It was also a bit chilling at times to think of this being written in 2004, yet there are some loose similarities to what is going on in this country today.

Alternative History or Prophecy?

This novel had been on my reading list for a long time, but Trump’s election encouraged me to finally read this novel of an America that flirts with fascism and unleashes its darker qualities. Passages of this novel read like a popular history of events which never came to be, but convey a message about America that is highly relevant today.

Alternative history ww2

Great plot told from the point of view of a Jewish boy caught up in a confused ant demerit USA. President Lindbergh comes to office as a Nazi sympathizer and his world is turned upside down in parallel to even worse things
Going on in Europe. Well done and well researched with some scary analogIes to 2017-2019 administration of President Trump who may be considered a white supreme cost sympathizer.

The Plot Against America

The plots in this book are inviting and precious. Story told by a young boy as he sees things, it can be hilarious. Mostly it’s a great well written book.

A very detailed history of never happened events

Philip Roth was an excellent story teller and he makes you get intimate with the characters in this novel. Its just that it never happened and the preposterous story line bend credulity to its breaking point.
By the way if we don't watch out it can happen.....

Great book, incredible narration.

Alternative history (only my second book on this, the first being Stephen King's 11/22/63, which also has a great narrator) the story is compelling and well put together with a great look into Roth's Jewish-American world. Ron Silver's narration takes the cake though, who knew that someone who was the main villain in The Arrival (1996) can give such a depth of emotions as he did in this read.

book vs movie/show

only time I preferred show because it was revisited by the author for present situations