Book Review: The Plot Against America
Fist off, let me say that I am a fan of alternate history, at least in generalities (many often miss the mark, including Harry Turtledove from time to time). That being said, I do not believe you need to be a fan of alternate history to appreciate Philip Roth's The Plot Against America. It was absolutely riveting. The basic premise is that Charles "Lucky Lindy" Lindbergh runs for President in 1940 as an ardent isolationist, trying to keep America out of Europe's war, and strikes a chord with America. He defeats FDR, going for his precedent-smashing third term. Lindbergh is also an anti-Semite, which deeply affects the Jews living in America. After being elected, he makes deal with Hitler to ensure the safety of America- all while the chess pieces are slowly being manipulated. This characterization of Lindbergh is not entirely fiction. While there are many events that occur on the national scene, the crux of the story is told through the eyes of a young Jewish boy living in Newark, NJ.
I found the writing itself excellent, and the plot and the characters both well-develped. As the tide of fascism slowly crept across America, I found chills running down my spine. I also enjoyed Roth's historical postscript. I like, in works such as this, that the author provides some basis in fact for his fiction, and Roth did it brilliantly. I was very impressed by this, which easily could have slid into the realm of pulp fiction. Rather, this work, like Tarantino's masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, takes a dimestore idea and moves into the realm of class. One of the finest works of fiction I have read in the past year. Highly recommended.
| Permalink | 
