Literary Fiction · LightAlexander Portnoy confesses his life story to his psychoanalyst in one continuous monologue
Portnoy's Complaint
by Philip Roth
A man tells his analyst everything, in one long monologue
The narrator, Alexander Portnoy, is described as a "lust-ridden, mother-addicted young Jewish bachelor." The novel is a continuous monologue in which he confesses his life story to his psychoanalyst, Dr. Spielvogel. His recollections center on the conflict between strong ethical impulses and intense sexual urges. Random House published it on January 12, 1969, and it grew out of a monologue Roth had written for a proposed slide show for the revue Oh! Calcutta!
More about this book
Who
Alexander Portnoy, who narrates, and Dr. Spielvogel, his psychoanalyst.
World
Mainly New Jersey, from the 1940s to the 1960s.
What makes it different
The title is a mock clinical definition printed on the first page. Australia declared it a prohibited import in 1969.
Feel
Comic and confessional.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- Portnoy's ComplaintWikipedia