Roth

Finished April 28
The Humbling by Philip Roth
This is the story of Simon Axler. Axler is one of the leading stage actors of his time, but now in his mid-sixties, he feels that he has lost whatever internal element he had that made him a great actor. He cannot connect with it however hard he tries.
In reaction he withdraws from that world to his home in the country. His wife deserts him, and he questions his mental state. When a new relationship offers him a renewal, he grabs at it, doing whatever he can to please his partner. But what are his real motivations, and how tied to the new relationship are his positive feelings about himself.
A look at how the character handles himself when he can't control the world around him, and a look at mental illness. Also the stories people tell themselves to make what they want real.