In his brilliant novel, American Pastoral, Phillip Roth takes us upon an extended journey into the culture of American Jews, whose search for the American dream has brought wealth and success in equal measure with heartache and pain. The story focuses on two generations of Levovs, descended from immigrant Jews, who are living the American dream, starting with a successful custom glove manufacturing business in Newark, NJ. Roth examines the disappointments and horrors of the 1960s, and the devastating effects of a country divided over the Vietnam war.

Swede is a tall, handsome athlete, revered in his community and confident of his future and his success. He marries the beautiful Dawn Dwyer, an Irish Miss New Jersey who wants to be more than just a beautiful face. After a stint in the Marines, Swede inherits his father's prosperous glovemaking business, having learned every small detail. He...