I Married a Communist

Book 2 of 3: American Trilogy

The second novel of Roth’s eloquent American trilogy, set in the tempestuous McCarthy era — a brilliant successor to American Pastoral.

I Married a Communist charts the rise and fall of Ira Ringold, an American roughneck who begins his life as a ditchdigger in 1930s New Jersey, eventually becoming a big-time radio hotshot in the 1940s.

• In his heyday as a star — and as a zealous, bullying supporter of 'progressive' political causes — Ira marries Hollywood's beloved leading lady, Eve Frame.
• Their glamorous honeymoon is short-lived, however, as Eve publishes a scandalous bestselling exposé that identifies Ira as 'an American taking his orders from Moscow.'

A Story of Cruelty, Betrayal, and Savage Revenge

This gripping novel delves into the era of anti-Communist fever, where:

• National politics are polluted with paranoia.
• Relationships of ordinary Americans are torn apart.
• Friends become deadly enemies.
• Parents and children are tragically estranged.
• Lovers are blacklisted and toppled from great heights.

‘Quintessential Philip Roth’ — Sunday Telegraph