Scribblings

Everyman

Everyman by Philip Roth was certainly a good book to read at the end of the year because of its so many universal themes. The "Everyman" in this book is a 71 year old guy in failing health--even though he works out and is careful with what he eats. He's had a successful career but not such a great personal life. There are feelings expressed that I think all of us have felt as we've gotten older--regrets for wrongs we've committed, sorrow for friendships and relationships and people we've lost, resentment for failing health and flabby skin and so on. I really could relate to a lot of it. I thought it was a great book and I was very moved at the end when the main character goes to the cemetery and talks with a grave digger. He learns that the grave digger did prepare his parents' graves and learns all the nitpicky and even gruesome details about the care taken. I don't like to think about death but let's face it, this is what we're all looking at eventually. Maybe that's why I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard about it--just as I wanted to read The Lovely Bones and The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Do we all have a morbid fascination with death and what comes after? Maybe...I would have given the book a 10 except I didn't understand why the man had three failed marriages and still was gawking at pretty women. Don't you learn by example? He had good parents in a loving marriage and his older brother was in a good marriage. So why was this guy such a slut? Oh well...but don't let that turn you off to reading it. It's worth it.