Who Is Philip Roth? Age, Biography and Wiki
Philip Roth was an iconic American novelist born on March 19, 1933, and he passed away on May 22, 2018. Even in 2025, Roth remains a towering figure in American literature, known for his provocative themes and insight into the human experience. His works often explore themes of identity, sexuality, and the complexities of Jewish-American life. Notable works include Portnoy's Complaint, American Pastoral, and The Plot Against America.
| Occupation | Novelist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 19, 1933 |
| Age | 85 Years |
| Birth Place | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | Jersey |
| Date of death | 22 May, 2018 |
| Died Place | New York City, U.S. |
Popularity
Philip Roth's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Although Roth is no longer alive to provide current measurements, he was known to have had a tall and commanding presence. His physical stature has often been described as around 6 feet (183 cm) tall. His weight varied throughout his life, aligning with his active lifestyle as a writer and intellectual.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Throughout his life, Philip Roth had various relationships, notably with actress Claire Bloom, whom he married in 1990. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1995, and Roth had a complex relationship with women that he frequently explored in his writing. As of 2025, Roth's legacy continues to resonate in literary circles, and his personal life is often discussed in relation to his characters and themes of love, loneliness, and identity.
He was the second child of Bess (née Finkel) and Herman Roth, an insurance broker. Roth's family was Jewish, and his parents were second-generation Americans. His paternal grandparents came from Kozlov near Lviv (then Lemberg) in Austrian Galicia, and his mother's ancestors were from the region of Kyiv in Ukraine. He graduated from Newark's Weequahic High School in or around 1950.
Net Worth and Salary
While exact figures may vary, Roth's net worth at the time of his death was estimated to be around $10 million. His earnings primarily stemmed from his prolific writing career, award winnings, and the adaptation of several of his novels into films and stage productions. His literary success has ensured that his estate continues to generate revenue through book sales, adaptations, and posthumous publications.
Career, Business and Investments
Philip Roth's career spanned over five decades during which he published numerous novels, short stories, and essays. He is celebrated for his rich character development and innovative narrative techniques. Roth's literary contributions earned him multiple prestigious awards, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. While Roth wasn't known for specific business ventures, his impact on literature and academia leaves a lasting legacy.
Reflecting on his writing career, in an afterword written on the 25th anniversary of the publication of Portnoy's Complaint, Roth wrote, "I wished to dazzle in my very own way and to dazzle myself no less than anyone else." To inspire himself to write, he recalled thinking, "All you have to do is sit down and work!"
Social Network
Even after his passing, Philip Roth's work and influence continue to be discussed widely on various social media platforms and literary forums. Literary enthusiasts often congregate on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit to share thoughts on his works and engage in discussions about his impact on literature and society. His official estate, represented by literary agents and publishers, also maintains a presence online to promote his works and legacy.
Philip Milton Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) was an American novelist and short-story writer.
Roth's fiction—often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey—is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophically and formally blurring the distinction between reality and fiction, for its "sensual, ingenious style" and for its provocative explorations of American identity.
He first gained attention with the 1959 short story collection Goodbye, Columbus, which won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction. Ten years later, he published the bestseller Portnoy's Complaint. Nathan Zuckerman, Roth's literary alter ego, narrates several of his books.
A fictionalized Roth narrates some of his others, such as the alternate history The Plot Against America.
Education
Philip Roth completed his undergraduate education at Bucknell University and later earned a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Chicago. His academic background laid the groundwork for his exceptional writing skills, enabling him to craft narratives that challenge readers and provoke thought.
In summary, Philip Roth remains a significant figure in American literature, and even in 2025, his profound insights into human nature and society continue to resonate with readers and scholars alike. His life story, characterized by literary brilliance and complex relationships, offers a glimpse into the mind of one of America’s finest writers.
In 1969, Arnold H. Lubasch wrote in The New York Times that the school "has provided the focus for the fiction of Philip Roth, the novelist who evokes his era at Weequahic High School in the highly acclaimed Portnoy's Complaint.
Besides identifying Weequahic High School by name, the novel specifies such sites as the Empire Burlesque, the Weequahic Diner, the Newark Museum and Irvington Park, all local landmarks that helped shape the youth of the real Roth and the fictional Portnoy, both graduates of Weequahic class of '50." The 1950 Weequahic Yearbook calls Roth a "boy of
real intelligence, combined with wit and common sense".
He was known as a comedian during his time at school.
