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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Slideshow Email Print Reprints Read Super-rich investors buy gold by ton 04 Oct 2010 Hungary declares emergency after toxic spill | 1:10pm EDT Fed, ECB throwing world into chaos: Stiglitz 3:56pm EDT Special report: The Pentagon's new cyber warriors 11:44am EDT Private bankers advise: "just say no to gold" 2:21pm EDT Discussed 71 Health reform to worsen doctor shortage: group 62 U.S. apologizes for syphilis experiment in Guatemala 61 Ex-maid says Whitman knowingly employed her illegally Watched Red faces over top model gaff Tue, Sep 28 2010 Uncovering the mysteries of the deep Mon, Oct 4 2010 Ocean census reveals deep secrets Mon, Oct 4 2010 Philip Roth reflects on novel's decline and "Nemesis" Tweet This Share on LinkedIn Share on Facebook Related News "The Social Network" opens in NY to buzz, controversy Mon, Sep 27 2010 German author tackles identity, celebrity in "Fame" Mon, Sep 20 2010 Analysis & Opinion Teaching journalists to read Related Topics Fashion » Entertainment » Zagat Power Lunches » Arts » Lifestyle » 1 / 2 Author Philip Roth poses in New York September 15, 2010. American novelist Roth dislikes e-books and the distracting influences of modern technology, which he feels diminishes the ability to appreciate the beauty and aesthetic experience of reading books on paper. Credit: Reuters/Eric Thayer By Christine Kearney NEW YORK | Tue Oct 5, 2010 4:21pm EDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - American novelist Philip Roth dislikes e-books and the distracting influences of modern technology, which he feels diminishes the ability to appreciate the beauty and aesthetic experience of reading books on paper. The author, celebrated for such novels as "The Human Stain," believes there is nothing anyone can do about it. Yet, even as he shares his belief about new technology, it is hard not to consider that by writing shorter books -- something he has done regularly since his 1959 debut "Goodbye, Columbus" -- Roth has long been ahead of his time. "It is a shame. It is also what is happening, and there is nothing at all to do about it," the 77-year-old Roth told Reuters, discussing the changing publishing landscape in the digital age during an interview for his new book, "Nemesis," which is released in the United States and Britain on Tuesday. "The concentration, the focus, the solitude, the silence, all the things that are required for serious reading are not within people's reach anymore," he said. Beginning with film in the 20th Century, then television, then computers, and more recently social media networks such as Facebook, the reader is now utterly distracted, he said. "Now it is the multiple screens and there is no competing against it," Roth said. Roth does not plan to buy any kind of e-reading device such as Amazon's Kindle. "I don't see what the point is for me," he said. "I like to read in bed at night and I like to read with a book. I can't stand change anyway." Among the publishing chatter about a possible impending death of the popular, longer novel and the growth of novellas due to e-readers, "Nemesis" -- clocking in at about 56,000 words -- is Roth's latest in a cycle of short novels. You see, Roth noted humorously, "I am with the times." Yet the economical form of "Nemesis," about a young playground director's internal struggle as his community is besieged by a polio epidemic, took root some eight years ago. "I was curious if I could do it," Roth said. "Condense and reduce and still carry a punch." Roth is best known for full-length novels such as his controversial 1969 book, "Portnoy's Complaint" and the Pulitzer Prize winning "American Pastoral" with favored narrator Nathan Zuckerman. So, to work on a shorter narrative, he consulted old friend and novelist, the late Saul Bellow. "I talked to him, and said 'How do you do it? And he didn't know any more than anybody else. So we just laughed." "CATACLYSM" "Nemesis," published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is set in 1944 and sees the author revisit his hometown Newark, New Jersey, a place fascinating to Roth due to its decline. 1 2 Next Fashion Entertainment Zagat Power Lunches Arts Lifestyle Add a Comment *We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Reader Feedback Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Analyst Research Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week FindLaw Reuters on Facebook Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. 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