Sabbath's TheaterSabbath's Theater
Score Modern
What it's about
Mickey Sabbath was once a puppeteer in New York; now he's sixty-four, arthritic, obscene and grieving the death of his longtime mistress. Unable to stop provoking everyone around him, he goes back to New York for a friend's funeral, looking for trouble and contemplating suicide.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award and was a Pulitzer finalist, and many critics consider it Roth's masterpiece. It's outrageous, filthy, funny and full of grief.
You'll love it if you liked
Portnoy's Complaint
American Pastoral
HerzogGood to know
It's sexually explicit throughout and deliberately offensive. Sabbath is not likable.
By the numbers
- Readers24 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics75 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller3 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #205 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #934 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1728 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Philip Roth
American PastoralPortnoy's Complaint
The Plot Against America
The Human StainIf you like this, read next
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Americanah
A Little Life
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Quick answers
Is Sabbath's Theater worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award and was a Pulitzer finalist, and many critics consider it Roth's masterpiece. It ranks #1,728 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Sabbath's Theater about?
Mickey Sabbath was once a puppeteer in New York; now he's sixty-four, arthritic, obscene and grieving the death of his longtime mistress. Unable to stop provoking everyone around him, he goes back to New York for a friend's funeral, looking for trouble and contemplating suicide.
How long does it take to read Sabbath's Theater?
About 12 hours (472 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Sabbath's Theater won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (1995).
What should I read after Sabbath's Theater?
If you liked it, try Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth, American Pastoral by Philip Roth or Herzog by Saul Bellow.