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Portnoy's Complaint - Philip Roth
Portnoy's Complaint
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Portnoy's Complaint n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature. Spielvogel says: 'Acts of exhibitionism, voyeurism, fetishism, auto-eroticism and oral... show more
Portnoy's Complaint n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature. Spielvogel says: 'Acts of exhibitionism, voyeurism, fetishism, auto-eroticism and oral coitus are plentiful; as a consequence of the patient's "morality," however, neither fantasy nor act issues in genuine sexual gratification, but rather in overriding feelings of shame and the dread of retribution, particularly in the form of castration.' (Spielvogel, O. "The Puzzled Penis," Internationale Zeitschrift für Psychoanalyse, Vol. XXIV, p. 909.) It is believed by Spielvogel that many of the symptoms can be traced to the bonds obtaining in the mother-child relationship.With a new Afterword by the author for the 25th Anniversary edition.From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Format: hardcover
ISBN: 9780394441986 (0394441982)
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Pages no: 274
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
travelin
travelin rated it
4.0 Portnoy's Complaint
I think Philip Roth intended this for two very different classes of reader: those who are driven by the author's basic drives and those in the next house over who are always laughing at him. Whether or not Roth had any serious reasons for writing the book, it is sometimes very, very funny. And that'...
Julian Meynell's Books
Julian Meynell's Books rated it
3.0 Portnoy's Complaint
Extremely well written book. Quite funny at times and right on the money about a lot of things. In the end though, it did not really speak to me that much.
UNICORN PORN FOR ALL
UNICORN PORN FOR ALL rated it
2.0
I've been reading a lot of smut lately. It's not because I'm a horndog, though! No wait, yes it is. That's the reason. So I figured I'd check this out, because I heard it was dirty, and it is, but it is not sexy. Not...at...all...sexy.There's an Onion article from...holy shit, fifteen years ago! I f...
A Cruel Man Delighting in Flowers
A Cruel Man Delighting in Flowers rated it
5.0
Philip Roth is the kind of writer that just doesn't seem to show up anymore. He is unflinching, fearless and unafraid. He doesn't mind getting really messy, since his topic - being human - is one of the most messy there is. 'The most outrageously funny book about sex yet written' is quotes 'The Gua...
makinghismark
makinghismark rated it
I have heard Philip Roth's name bandied about for years, as one of America's literary giants, along with the likes of Saul Bellow, and Norman Mailer. Portnoy's Complaint happened to catch my eye from the bookshelves recently, and I decided to give it a try.I found that many people from my generation...
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