i read my first roth novel in my twenties. i've read several since then. each time i open one of his works and begin i feel as though a favorite uncle has launched into a story, a story that from the start entrances me to stillness. his stories are special because they give you the sense that you are hearing something that has until now been kept from you. but he has faith in your ability to take it in. roth reveals truths about the human condition which most folks just don't or won't talk about either because they think it shouldn't be discussed or because they think by discussing it they are planting seeds in impressionable minds. but roth doesn't share this fear. roth never holds back. he has no reservations about saying swears or discussing social ills before virgin ears.