Philip Roth, a giant of American fiction whose works often dealt with Jewish assimilation, died Tuesday (May 22). He was 85.
The cause was congestive heart failure, according to Roth's literary agent, Andrew Wylie. Roth retired from writing fiction in 2012 at the age of 80.
Though Roth was an avowed atheist, Judaism was a perennial theme in much of his work, something the Jewish Theological Seminary recognized in 2014 when it awarded Roth an honorary degree.
“I welcomed the honor,” Roth said of the award. “Who takes Jews more seriously than the JTS? And what writer takes Jews more seriously than I do?”
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