For his many fans, it's sad news that Philip Roth is calling it a day. At 79, I guess he's entitled; as he says, he did the best he could with what he had. And then some. I'll be hoping he changes his mind, but meanwhile I'm glad there are still books by him that I've yet to read. To mark the news of his retirement I offer below this ranking of the ones I have read. I've divided them into four groups from 'Top of the heap', through 'Very good' and 'OK', to 'I won't be reading them again'. Within each category the titles are in alphabetical order, and not further ranked.
Top of the Heap
American Pastoral
Everyman
The Ghost Writer
The Human Stain
Indignation
Nemesis
Patrimony
The Plot Against America
Portnoy's Complaint
Very good
Goodbye, Columbus
I Married A Communist
The Professor of Desire
Zuckerman Unbound
OK
The Anatomy Lesson
The Breast
Deception
The Dying Animal
Exit Ghost
The Facts
Our Gang
The Humbling
The Prague Orgy
I won't be reading them again
Operation Shylock
Sabbath's Theater
(Last updated: 26 April, 2013.)