The Human Stain by Philip Roth

American Pastoral is a novel by Philip Roth that delves into the life of Seymour 'Swede' Levov, a Jewish-American businessman and former high school star athlete from Newark, New Jersey. The story, narrated by Nathan Zuckerman, unfolds at a 45th high school reunion where Zuckerman learns about the tragic events that shattered the Levov family's seemingly perfect life. The novel explores themes of the American Dream, assimilation, and the social and political upheaval of the 1960s, particularly through the actions of Swede's daughter Merry, who becomes involved in anti-war activism and commits a violent act. The book is part of Roth's American Trilogy, which also includes 'I Married a Communist' and 'The Human Stain'. It won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and is praised for its vivid character portraits and its exploration of the complexities and disillusionments of American life in the late 20th century.

The Human Stain chronicles the downfall of Coleman Silk, an esteemed classics professor at Athena College in New England. Silk is accused of racism after using the word 'spook' in class, referring to two absent students who are black. Despite his innocence, the accusation leads to his resignation, the death of his wife, and his estrangement from his children. The novel reveals that Silk has been passing as a white Jewish man his entire adult life, hiding his true African-American identity. His life further unravels as he begins an affair with Faunia Farley, a younger janitor, which is exposed and adds to the public scandal. The story is narrated by Nathan Zuckerman, who delves into Silk's past and the complexities of his identity, exploring themes of truth, falsehood, and the limits of human understanding.

Published in 1998, "I Married a Communist" explores the devastating impact of McCarthyism on American lives. The novel tells the story of Ira Ringold, a former radio star whose career and reputation are destroyed when his ex-wife, Eve Frame, accuses him of being a communist. Roth delves into themes of betrayal, political paranoia, and the destructive power of ideology. "I Married a Communist" examines the complexities of identity and the consequences of societal hysteria during a turbulent period in American history.

Neema Parvini is known for his work on elite theory, as seen in 'The Populist Delusion', which explores the ideas of elite theorists like Mosca, Pareto, and Michels. However, 'Applied Elite Theory' does not appear to be a published work by him.