Philip Roth dead – American Pastoral author who won the Pulitzer Prize dies aged 85
Roth wrote more than 30 books, including the 1991 memoir Patrimony about his dad which won the National Book Critics Circle Award
WRITER Philip Roth died on Tuesday at the age of 85.
Roth wrote more than 30 books, including American Pastoral, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1998.
He is described as a "fearless narrator of sex, religion and mortality".
Roth's other famous works include, Portnoy's Complaint, The Counterlife, Goodbye Columbus and the 1991 memoir, Patrimony, which examined his relationship with his father, and won the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Recurring themes in his work include Jewish family life and American ideals.
His literary agent, Andrew Wylie said Roth died Tuesday night of congestive heart failure.
Roth went on to write celebrated novels, short stories, essays and criticism.
A staunch atheist, he once said: "I find religious people hideous. I hate the religious lies. It's all a big lie."
In 1990 he married English actress Claire Bloom, but they split in 1994.
Several of his books have been adapted into films for the big screen, including The Human Stain and The Dying Animal.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Roth only retired from writing four years ago.
He died in hospital in Manhattan, New York.
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