Reader’s Almanac (the official blog of The Library of America) has an informative article on Philip Roth’s Nemesis (which I found with the help of Maud Newton – Thank you, Ma’am!). It questions why so few reviewers have mentioned the link between Nemesis and Albert Camus’ The Plague. Maybe some reviewers are underestimating their readers? Or thought the similarities weren’t strong enough to mention?
So, what’s my excuse? I’m embarrassed to admit that despite The Plague being one of my favorite books – its been years since I read it. I didn’t even make the connection. It all went right over my head.
Unsurprisingly, J.M. Coetzee brings up both The Plague and Daniel Defoe’s Journal of A Plague Year (another favorite of mine) in his review of Nemesis in the New York Review of Books.
Touché Coetzee. Touché.
READER AT LARGE 
Interesting article! I’ve read other articles like this one about connections between books that I didn’t see, even if I’ve read them. Usually it’s classics or Shakespeare, which is embarrassing for an English major!
LikeLike
Yep, felt like a complete dunce on this one. I’m going to have to re-read my Camus. For some reason I remember The Plague as being more of an ensemble piece.
LikeLike
Nothing goes unremarked by the great JM!
LikeLike
So, wait, I’m sensing a pattern here. I repeat “Coetzee” 3x in a row and you appear? 🙂
LikeLike