Nemesis

Written by Catherine Coulter

Narrated by MacLeod Andrews and Renee Raudman

“Fans of Lee Child and Patrick Lee won’t be disappointed” (Library Journal) in this high-octane FBI Thriller featuring Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

In New York, Special Agent Lacey Sherlock foils a terrorist attack at JFK airport, but stopping the grenade-carrying crazy was only the beginning. Another plot unfolds nearly simultaneously with a bomb at St. Patrick’s Cathedral...

Meanwhile, Savich—with the help of Agent Griffin Hammersmith—has his hands full trying to track an elusive murderer who is able to control those under his thrall. When an attempt on Savich’s life collides with Sherlock’s terrorist case, they must race against the clock, as more lives are in danger with every passing minute.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781480586963

Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ninety-two novels including the FBI suspense thriller series and A Brit in the FBI international thriller series, co-written with the brilliant author J.T. Ellison. Coulter lives in Sausalito, California, with her Übermensch husband. She hikes daily and posts wide-ranging photos of her beautiful area.

Reviews for Nemesis

[kidzdoc_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Bucky" Cantor is a young physical education teacher who is spending his summer as a playground director in the largely Jewish neighborhood of Weequahic in Newark, New Jersey. It is the summer of 1944, one that would be remembered for its brutal heat and its devastating outbreak of paralytic polio, the worst outbreak to strike the city since 1916. Bucky is distressed that he cannot join his two best friends in the war effort, as his poor eyesight makes him ineligible for the draft. He is a serious and dedicated teacher and mentor to the boys in the playground, who love and respect him unconditionally, as do their parents. Bucky is deeply in love is Marcia Steinberg, the strikingly beautiful daughter of a beloved community physician, who teaches in the same school where he works. She is spending the summer as a counselor in a camp in the Poconos, and she begs him to join her there.Weequahic is seemingly protected from polio, which has begun to make inroads in the surrounding neighborhoods, until two of the playground boys suddenly succumb to the illness. As the epidemic flares with a vengeance, the members of the community panic and point fingers at the city's leadership, the parents of the stricken children, and anyone suspected of bringing the infection into the neighborhood. Bucky is deeply shaken, and questions his own role in the outbreak, and how a merciful God could allow such a pestilence to strike against innocent children.A position for a swimming instructor becomes available at the camp where Marcia is working, and Bucky leaves the disease plagued city to be with Marcia. There it is cool and idyllic, and polio is a distant memory. Bucky, however, is conflicted by his decision to leave the boys and his community, who he feels need him more than ever, but he is also free of the fear that he or the children in the camp will be the next polio victim and is alongside the woman he intends to marry.In Nemesis, Roth does a fine job of portraying the fear and paranoia that resulted from that awful summer of 1944, and the devastating effect of paralytic polio on its survivors and on the families of those who died from the illness. However, the main characters are one dimensional and thinly portrayed, which greatly dilutes the effect of the story. Roth's main theme in the book, the struggle of one man's responsibility toward his community and country and its conflict with personal happiness and fulfillment, is not handled as well as it could have been, and it seemed to this reader that the first 3/4 of the book served as a set up for a discussion of this theme, making for a somewhat disjointed and unsatisfying read. Nemesis is a good book, but it could have been a great one.

[samsattler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of my earliest memories is of watching the few toys I owned being destroyed in a barnyard fire set especially for that purpose. From what I have been told, the toys were burned in hope that I would not fall victim to polio, as had the little boy who had played with those toys and me only a few days earlier. My parents, I am sure, were terrified, and they felt that they had to do something. It was only a year or so later that I understood the whole story, but the experience is something that still crosses my mind every year or so.Philip Roth’s latest novel, Nemesis, revisits those terrible days during which the general public had no idea how polio was spread and had to watch helplessly as countless children and young people were stricken. Set in a Jewish, Newark neighborhood in 1944, the book captures the feeling of panic and overwhelming despair that accompanied the regular arrival of that dreaded killer-disease. Bucky Cantor, who was quite the high school athlete, is disappointed to find himself one of the very few able-bodied young men still walking the streets of his neighborhood. Even now, at the peak of World War II, Bucky’s eyesight is so bad that no branch of the United States military will accept him. As a way of serving his community, Bucky has taken on the responsibility of running the park where the neighborhood youngsters spend their summer days playing baseball or enduring rope-jumping marathons.All goes well until one of those children is stricken by polio. That case is just the first of many and, before long, panic and finger pointing will begin. Bucky Cantor, a young man with high expectations of himself, will find himself torn between staying with the young teens who so much admire him or joining his girlfriend in employment at a prestigious children’s camp in the Poconos. His decision will change lives in a way he never imagined.A chief strength of Nemesis is the vividness with which Roth recreates the impact of polio on the psyche of the country before Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine began to eradicate the disease in 1955. The book is, however, also an excellent character study of a young man who could never live up to his own expectations of personal behavior. Bucky Cantor’s high ideals, combined with the personal guilt he feels when he fails to match those ideals, make for a highly destructive combination of beliefs. Personal failure, always likely when the bar is set so high, would mean that, soon enough, Bucky would no longer have “a conscious he could live with.”The inherent tragedy of Nemesis and a young man like Bucky Cantor is best summed up by another of the book’s characters who said about Bucky: “The guilt in someone like Bucky may seem absurd but, in fact, is unavoidable. Such a person is condemned. Nothing he does matches the ideal in him. He never knows where his responsibility ends. He never trusts his limits because, saddled with a natural goodness that will not permit him to resign himself to the suffering of others, he will never guiltlessly acknowledge that he has any limits.”Bucky Cantor could not protect the park children from polio; even worse, he could not protect himself from failing to reach his own personal ideals.Rated at: 4.0

[rmckeown_9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Back in the 60s, Goodbye, Columbus, Philip Roth’s first novel, had everybody buzzing. I read it, but did not like it at all. The “rule of 50” lay years in my future, so I struggled to the end. This turned me off Roth until I read Everyman several years ago. Then, I read a few of his recent novels, and tried Goodbye again. This time, the rule of 50 played an important role – I still did not like that novel. Without any trepidation, however, I dove into Nemesis published a short time ago. Am I glad I did! Now, Roth is my front runner for the Nobel Prize for Literature because of the way he chronicles life in America in the last half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries. This novel is unlike anything I have read by Roth. Nothing put pure, young, innocent love set during a tragic episode in American history.Bucky Cantor’s mother died in childbirth, and his father ended up in prison. Raised by his grandparents, they taught him self-reliance, the value of hard work, and he became quite an athlete. When Pearl Harbor suffered an attack, he tried to enlist with his friends, but poor eyesight earned him a classification of 4-F. These misfortunes haunted him for most of his life. Upon graduation from the ironically named “Panzer College,” he landed a job at a local elementary school as a physical education teacher. There he met Marcia, a new first grade teacher. The two instantly fell in love, but Cantor’s depression over his misfortunes shadowed him throughout his life. When a polio epidemic hits Newark in the summer of 1944, Bucky searches for an explanation in a world controlled by God. He spends much of the rest of his life wondering why God lets bad things happen to innocent children.Roth has penned an absorbing and tightly drawn story of not only a man, but of a community and a tragedy of terrible proportions. In A Distant Mirror, the late historian, Barbara Tuchman, draws parallels between the 14th and 20th centuries. The bubonic plague which swept through Europe six centuries ago killed tens of millions of people. Superstition, and lack of basic understanding of infections and how they spread through a population, fueled panic, anti-Semitism, and incidents of violence against communities viewed as likely scapegoats. Roth demonstrates Tuchman’s thesis had more parallels than she mentioned, since her book mainly focused on the flu epidemic of 1918, in which tens of millions died world-wide. This pattern was repeated with the polio epidemic of the 40s and again with the A.I.D.S. epidemic which began in the 80s. Fortunately, modern science took the reins with explanations and treatments for both 20th century plagues. History does repeat itself.Nemesis is the fourth in a series of short novels grouped under the heading Nemeses. If you haven’t read Roth in a while, start with this slim volume and work your way back to something near the beginning. Then try Goodbye, Columbus again. I believe the careful reader will discover a clear distinction between the early Roth and the master novelist of today. (5 Stars)--Jim, 11/5/10

[suetu_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summer in the cityBucky Cantor is a mensch—a good man. During the summer of 1944, when the bulk of this brief novel takes place, 24-year-old Bucky is working as the playground director of the Chancellor Avenue Playground in the Weequahic neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey. It’s the city’s Jewish neighborhood, and that summer it’s been hit brutally hard by a polio epidemic. Kids are scared and parents downright are terrified. Bucky’s own grief and fear are balanced by a sense of duty equal to that of any Gilbert & Sullivan protagonist. Conflict arises when his girlfriend begs him to leave the disease-stricken city and join her as a counselor at a bucolic summer camp in the Poconos. The situation in Newark is volatile. Says the girlfriend’s father, a doctor:“The anti-Semites are saying that it’s because they’re Jews that polio spreads there. Because of all the Jews, that’s why Weequahic is the center of the paralysis and why the Jews should be isolated. Some of them sound as if they think the best way to get rid of the polio epidemic would be to burn down Weequahic with all the Jews in it. There is a lot of bad feeling because of the crazy things people are saying out of their fear. Out of their fear and their hatred. I was born in the city, and I’ve never known anything like this in my life. It’s as if everything everywhere is collapsing.”Meanwhile, the stress of what was happening in Newark and elsewhere around the country was playing out against the backdrop of a country at war. It was a terrible, terrible time.My mother contracted polio a few years after the events depicted in this novel. We’ve discussed this frightening period of her life many times over the years, but strangely, hearing her personal account couldn’t touch the reality of what Mr. Roth has depicted with such immediacy. Reading Nemesis made me feel like I’d taken a time machine back for a visit. It gave me fresh insight into my mother’s experience. And it also served as a reminder of just how forgotten this terrible disease is. In 1944, both scientists and the public were so appallingly ignorant about the cause and transmission of polio it was hard to believe. And yet… I don’t know anything about polio. Despite my mother’s history, I’m not sure I could have told you it was a virus. Is transmission airborne? I have no idea. Polio has never been a part of my lifetime, and after reading this novel, I pray that it never is. More than anything, Nemesis is completely evocative of the time and place in which it is set. As glad as I am to have had a window into the past, I’m even gladder to have moved on from that time.

[sable677 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nemesis is another exciting adventure in Coulter's FBI thriller series. Sherlock and Savage both find themselves dealing with ruthless villains as two cases put them up against dangerous people. Sherlock finds herself the target of a madman when she foils an attack at the airport putting not just her but her family at risk. Savage finds himself facing a diabolical killer who uses a unique method to murder. Two cases means double the twists and turns.One thing I love about this series is the strong relationship and connection between Sherlock and Savage. Their family while not front and center really grounds the series making the stakes higher for them both. I liked seeing both Sherlock and Savage working their own cases with their different teams while keeping their bond strong. The cases were both interesting, and Nemesis definitely is action packed and suspenseful keeping the reader's attention from beginning to end. I also enjoyed the secondary characters like Cal, Kelly, and Griffin who helped to add to the book's stories. Overall Nemesis was a great read, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.Received a copy of Nemesis through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[nbsp_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Philip Roth. He shows us the world through his narrow focus on Newark, N.J. In this short novel, the polio epidemic stalks the populace. Reactions vary from courage to anger, logic to insanity.Bucky Cantor is a likeable promising young Phys Ed teacher who runs a city playground. The story heats up as Bucky deals with the prejudices that arise as God's Chosen People appear to be spared.My mother spent a few scary nights with me as a child in the hospital with a suspected case of polio that turned out to be measles. And, my child was born in the early days of AIDS and I wrestled with the unknown dangers of that. So I had a special interest in Nemesis but I think it has general appeal given the fear of disease that we endure at least annually during flu season. And, even having lived through the polio crisis, I could never have predicted the story line.Audiobook reader Dennis Boutsikaris is stellar as always.

[roblong_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read a review saying this is Roth-by-numbers, and there’s something to that: it’s set in his hometown, touches on issues of Jewishness and is about the extent to which chance – or the will of God – rather than our own actions defines our lives. So far, so Phil. However, Roth-by-numbers is better than pretty much anyone else, and most of his own work in the past few years for that matter. I thought this was brilliant, an idea pulled off virtually flawlessly. A really powerful, very moving book.

[stillwaters12 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting, based carefully on truth. Well told. Main character, Mr. Cantor, is a stand-up guy, great coach and boy-friend. He is though a bit narcissistic. He ends relationships and becomes self-hating by the end of the book - depressing.

[tymfos · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 1944, there was no vaccine or cure for polio (though treatments existed which helped, to some degree, many who contracted the disease). Indeed, though it was known to be highly contagious, the mechanism of polio's spread was not yet understood. As a result, all manner of theories abounded regarding the risks, leading to a general state of paranoia during outbreaks of the disease. Who/what was to blame for its spread? Flies? The hot dog vendor? A mentally-challenged neighbor? Contaminated library books?This story explores the grim reality of urban life in a polio outbreak. However, it is even more the story of a man's grim battle with his own thoughts -- his fear, his conscience, his doubts, his guilt, and his anger at God -- in the face of a disease he cannot control and a World War in which he was deemed too nearsighted to serve.Bucky Cantor is the neighborhood playground director, and he watches helplessly as his young charges begin to sicken and die of polio. The reality of the situation eats away at him as he ponders the opportunity to escape the inner city for work as a camp counselor in the Pocono Mountains, where his girlfriend Marcia works. What is his duty to his young charges at the playground? Is his playground a killing field of contagion, or an oasis from even more dangerous situations?I listened to the audio version of this book (a Brilliance Audio production) and found some parts compelling, some parts a bit tedious, and some parts mildly curious (such as the description of summer camp life in the 1940's). Then there were the moments that left me with an "oh, no!" on my lips and a sinking feeling in my stomach as I anticipated what manner of disaster loomed ahead. In the end the biggest tragedy is, perhaps, less a matter of germs and twisted limbs, and more a matter of psychology and twisted thoughts -- because sometimes our mental state can stunt our lives more than any physical ailment.

[laytonwoman3rd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The setting is the blistering summer of 1944, in Newark, NJ, where polio is once again rearing its ugly head, as it has every summer for all of Bucky Cantor's life. An athletic young phys ed teacher, with bad eyesight that has kept him out of WWII, Bucky is spending the summer as playground director, earnestly overseeing the daily activities of neighborhood boys in the predominantly Jewish section of Weequahic. This promising set-up turns out to be just a new platform for Roth's recurring exploration of Guilt, and I've heard it all before. Another promising young man ultimately destroys himself by thinking too much, by being unable to accept that shit happens--or in this case, that polio happens--and it isn’t anyone’s fault. The jacket blurb puts it this way: "Through this story run the dark questions that haunt all four of Roth's recent short novels...What kind of choices fatally shape a life? How does the individual withstand the onslaught of circumstance?" Well, yes...those questions are certainly explored here. Ad nauseam. Without subtlety. There is occasional brilliance in the writing, but it casts a cold light. Portions of it are so evocative of time and place that I can't help but admire Roth's skill. The trouble is, I think, that the skill is too apparent on the page. I couldn't get lost in it; I was evaluating it all the time. This is a novel of exposition, not action, although it purports to deal with the consequences of actions. It feels too much like something that’s meant to be good for you, like a dose of castor oil, maybe.

[janesteen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Where I got the book: my own choice from the library.I've only read one other book by Philip Roth, The Human Stain. And I wasn't crazy about it, although I thought the writing was superior. (And I guess a few other people thought so too, since it won a PEN/Faulkner Award.)I liked Nemesis a whole lot more, even though I thought the novel was structurally flawed. Or is that genius, to build flaws deliberately into a novel and then get away with it? It's a fine line.[SPOILER ALERT] Nemesis is set in Newark in the hot summer of 1944, specifically in the Jewish community in Weequahic. It begins in an expository style, explaining the origins of the polio epidemic of that year, before introducing the main character, Bucky Cantor. This young man, a superb athlete but barred from war service by poor eyesight, works as a playground supervisor and has a passion for helping children grow as athletes. He is a model citizen: brought up by his grandparents, he grew up working in their business and did well at school. He is small, tough, and respected, and his relationship with a doctor's daughter promises a rise in society.But the polio epidemic hits Weequahic hard, and the playground is particularly badly affected. Children sicken and even die, and Bucky Cantor's faith in God is shaken as he tries to comfort the families and puzzle out why "his" children should be the victims of such a virulent strain. When he finally gives in to the temptation to leave it all behind and join his girlfriend at a camp in the mountains, Bucky's nemesis follows him and destroys his life.This is a great story told mostly in a tight narrative style interspersed with dialogue. I loved the affectionate descriptions of the community and its people, and really got a sense of the suffering of the families. The writing is excellent: tight and compelling, it sketches scenes with great economy of detail but considerable power, and the dialogues and action are completely convincing.Where the book fell down, for me, was the odd shock of discovering, about halfway into the book, that the narrator is not the anonymous "omniscient" so useful to novelists, but one of the polio victims; he tells Bucky's story (so that we see Bucky mostly as "Mr. Cantor") but really tells us almost nothing about his own part in it. The idea that he would have become friends with Bucky later in life and is now narrating what he has learned from him just doesn't strike true. I would have been OK with an omniscient narrator, but I find a second-hand narrative through a very minor character rather jarring.The second thing I did not like was precisely the account of Bucky later in life, when he has turned his back on his former love and all that connected him with the playground. The embittered invalid is a familiar enough trope, but the way this section of the novel is sandwiched between the actual story and a final description of Bucky in his glory days (which strikes me as an attempt to balance out the present-day section) doesn't work for me. Bucky's anger against God is explored in this section, but I think it could have been worked more satisfactorily into the main narrative given Roth's great ability with the pen.But I could be wrong. Maybe the flaws are deliberate attempts to break the rhythm of the narrative and shock the reader out of complacency. If they are, then I respect them. My overall impression is still of a powerful piece of writing that is well worth reading.

[timbazzett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Terrific book! I literally devoured it. NEMESIS is Roth's tribute to the polio plague years of the 1940s and how that dreaded disease scared the hell out of everyone every summer. And his protagonist, Bucky Cantor, will remain, for me, one of his more memorable characters, right up there with Gabe Wallach and Libby Herz from LETTING GO, which has always been one of my all-time favorite Roth novels. For those who remember polio, as well as for those who don't, I recommend this book highly.

[brianinbuffalo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Roth ranks near the top of my favorite authors roster. His minimalist writing style, paired his ability to vividly capture eras in American history, rarely leave me disappointed.I really liked "Nemesis." It certainly won't be remembered as one of Roth's classics. But it skillfully explores the themes of fear and personal resonsibility against an intriguing backdrop -- the polio epidemic in the 1940s. However, I must agree with LT reviewer JaneSteen's critique of the novel's structure. I won't delve in detail here; I don't fancy writing "spoiler alerts." But the tome's structure was a bit disjointed. I also found that Roth's minimalist style worked against him in this thin volume. I wanted to know more about the roots of the protaganist's sad choices that changed his life. Having said all this, "Nemesis" is well worth reading.

[hemlokgang · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this historically imagined tale of a polio outbreak in Newark, New Jersey was outstanding. Polio and its insidious spread is the metaphor for things which make us fear and from which it is difficult to protect oneself. Roth's insight into the workings of the human mind and heart are brilliant. The ultimate questions are what kind of God would create such a disease, what kind of God would allow small children to suffer, die, or move into adulthood permanently maimed? Yet.......there is the beauty of the protahonist's javelin throw......go figure! Great read!

[spounds_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These days we seem to be infected with a heavy dose of libertarianism. I'm OK; you're OK; now get off my lawn.But what if the opposite were true? What if you were someone who felt an inordinate amount of responsibility for others--and what if they started to die?Bucky Cantor is a playground director in Newark when the 1943 polio epidemic breaks out. He feels a strong responsibility for keeping his charges both safe from the hazards of the disease, but also from unneeded hysteria. When polio arrives in his neighborhood, Bucky seeks out advice on the right thing to do--and he does it. And then one day he makes a decision that will haunt him the rest of his life.The conclusion of Nemesis takes place 30 years after the first part of the story as Bucky retells how he has dealt with his decision and its consequences.Roth spends this last bit pondering the idea of responsibility and the guilt that it can bring when the circumstance is more than someone can handle. At what point can I stop being my brother's keeper and just keep myself? Or is there such a point?

[NNEAMAKA PAYNE · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nemesis is another exciting adventure in Coulter's FBI thriller series. Sherlock and Savage both find themselves dealing with ruthless villains as two cases put them up against dangerous people. Sherlock finds herself the target of a madman when she foils an attack at the airport putting not just her but her family at risk. Savage finds himself facing a diabolical killer who uses a unique method to murder. Two cases mean double the twists and turns.

One thing I love about this series is the strong relationship and connection between Sherlock and Savage. Their family while not front and center really grounds the series making the stakes higher for them both. I liked seeing both Sherlock and Savage working their own cases with their different teams while keeping their bond strong. The cases were both interesting, and Nemesis definitely is action-packed and suspenseful keeping the reader's attention from beginning to end. I also enjoyed the secondary characters like Cal, Kelly, and Griffin who helped to add to the book's stories. Overall Nemesis was a great read, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[joanneweston · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A powerful read, utterly absorbing, emotional and ultimately tragic.

[djfifitrix · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was well written and a touching, but devastating story about the reaction of a young man, Bucky, to a sweeping polio epidemic that befalls many of his young charges at the playground he is caretaker for. Bucky's character and his repsonses to the epidemic are explored throughout the book, as he experiences and reacts to the mounting pressure and anxiety of such an epidemic, which becomes the focus of life in Newark towards the end of the Second World War. I found this book easy to read and Roth tells a wonderful story of human anxiety and fear, which tends to be a theme running through many of his works.

[hadriantheblind · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An attempt at the great American plague novel. If Roth finally discusses something other than girl problems, he does pretty well. An old-fashioned reminiscence with all too relevant problems.

[syossetreaders · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great fictional read about the 1950's polio epidemic and the effect it has on a small community in Newark, New Jersey. Particularly affected is the boy's gym teacher/summer playground supervisor, who makes a choice he later regrets.

[audrieclifford · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Does it sound heartless to say you enjoyed a story about people getting polio? This book is so well done that you feel like you're melting as the author describes the midsummer city heat. But what a relief when the main character goes to the mountains and breathes the cool, clean air! There's a lot of sorrow in the book, but oh, so much to admire.

[cwlongshot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite Philip Roth - that honor goes to The Plot Against America - but this is an interesting portrayal of life during the polio epidemic in the US. For some reason, the last part of the book seems tacked on and doesn't fit well with the majority of the story, which is why I didn't rate the book higher.

[thewanderingjew_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel is a trip down memory lane for anyone of a certain age. Two wars are being fought at the same time; one is in Europe and the Pacific where World War II is raging and the other is in the Jewish neighborhood of Weequahic, in Newark, New Jersey, where a polio epidemic is raging. Neither war will end well. Is the story ultimately about how we face a crisis and go forward into our future? Is it about control, who does and who does not have it in the face of tragedy? Is it about unfounded, unrealistic guilt and shame? Is it about the Jewish experience or the experience of everyman? Two characters, the narrator and the protagonist, each were afflicted with polio and its after effects, but both face their futures in different ways. One character takes control of his life and masters it; one relinquishes control, wallows in self recrimination, railing at G-d about the life he has been given, somehow always feeling like he has missed out and always wanting more. He is too short, his eyesight is too poor, his background is wanting, and when he was rejected from the armed forces, branded 4F, he was devastated. He is not easily satisfied, and in fact, always finds the negative and disappointment in a given situation, rather than the silver lining. During the summer of 1944, Eugene Cantor is the Director of Playgrounds; he loves his job. He is a Physical Education teacher and he really enjoys being with the children. He wants to mentor them, to help them become strong and principled. He is in love with a teacher from a wonderful family and life is going well for him, even though he feels a bit like he is always behind the eight ball, a bit short changed in the game of life. He was raised by his grandparents; his mother died in childbirth and his father was a thief. He carried the shame of his crime within himself. Did he also carry the guilt for the death of his mother? His grandfather always emphasized hard work, strength of character and always doing the right thing. Although devoted to them both, his grandfather became his role model. Perhaps he also instilled that feeling of guilt within him, that he carried his entire life. Growing up, he always missed the atmosphere of what he considered a normal family, one with both parents offering encouragement and love. Even though he acknowledged the great love his grandparents shared with him, he hungered for what he did not have. This becomes a pattern for him. He always sees the dark side. Does he transfer that feeling of guilt onto every other aspect of his life, always making his burden a bit heavier?The story proceeds along innocently enough, at first, but the pace picks up as you realize the fear the community is living with on a daily basis because of the war and the polio epidemic. Who will get a telegram about their son, whose child will come down with polio? No one knows, and furthermore, no one has any control over either which makes them even more impotent and afraid. There was a good deal of irrational fear as they waited for the next shoe to drop, the next victim to fall, always anticipating the next tragedy.The book is narrated by Arnold Mesnikoff who is more than a decade younger than Eugene. He plays in the playground’s baseball games which Eugene (Bucky Cantor) organizes during that fateful summer of 1944. At the end of the book, the effect of those early dual wars is illuminated by the chance meeting of the two men, about three decades later. Each of them reacted to the events of that summer in their own unique way. The different roads they chose determined the lives they led and the obstacles they faced. Each had to face a challenge. Would they meet it with courage and strength or surrender to a different destiny?Although the book is about a small Jewish enclave in New Jersey, anyone growing up in that time can't help but feel nostalgic. Although it was more than a decade later, I remember the same atmosphere: the air raid drills, air raid siren tests, polio scares, anti-Semitism, rivalry between Jews and Italians. Who doesn't recall the stoops in front of their attached homes, each with a narrow driveway separating them from their nearest neighbor and a postage stamp piece of property with a tree in front, newly planted? It could be a number of other Jewish communities in any urban center, not necessarily Newark. Roth has captured the true spirit and persona of the Jewish families of that time, their expectations, their hopes and their pressures. The relationship between parent and child, adult and minor was one of authority vs. powerlessness. Improper behavior, disobedience, weakness, was cause for guilt and shame, not only heaped upon the wayward one but also upon the entire family.So many in that era lived in just such a house, in just such a neighborhood, hung laundry from the window, attaching it with clothespins to a line attached to a tree, some distance away, which was on a pulley system. (Who doesn’t remember the times the clothes that fell had to be retrieved by running down flights of stairs and then rewashing them by hand?). We hung out at the corner candy store, had ice cream sundaes with abandon, never thinking about calories. Who doesn't remember the shoemaker or the "druggist" who had as much respect as the doctor and whose advice you often sought first, before even calling a doctor? Times may have been different, even more dangerous, with the cold war and diseases with no vaccines, but the people seemed more connected, happier to communicate with each other then. Perhaps it was the invention of Air Conditioners or television that forced people inside and away from the communal gatherings in the street, in order to escape the heat or to simply socialize. Soon windows were closed, doors were shut, people sat alone in their homes, more isolated, entertained by a box with pictures and sound, and they no longer participated with each other to the same extent. They escaped from the real world into a world of fantasy. Perhaps that escape is necessary in the real world, in order to survive and not let life get you down. Is it the ability to find a silver lining inside of every cloud or the doom and gloom, sky is falling attitude that should prevail?Mr. Roth captures the prevailing atmosphere of the times, the terrible fear of the disease for which their was no treatment or cure, not even a known cause that could be blamed, though they tried to find one; the Italians, the Board of Health, and even Mr. Cantor, the Playground Director was accused. He accurately describes the over-anxious Jewish mothers, their over arching need to protect and provide for their families, the culture of learning, the desire for education that is ever-present in the Jewish neighborhoods along with the ever-present shadow always lurking, of anti-Semitism. It was a time for Jews to gather their courage, stand tall and squash their image of meekness; they must face their difficulties, their trials with courage and fortitude, and this means Polio, as well. Ignorance was the main problem. No one knew how to stop the disease just as no one knew how to end the war quickly. There were so many deaths, untimely and unnecessary. Was anyone at fault? Should anyone feel guilty? Should someone be punished? Was everyone blameless? Who or what was the real enemy? Why did some fare better than others? Why did some handle their burdens more satisfactorily? In the end, doesn’t this story have a larger meaning? Couldn’t the community be anywhere and the people be of any race or religion? Wouldn’t any neighborhood have reacted in similar fashion? Or, wouldn’t they? This brief book will make you wonder about all these questions, but it will not give you the answers. Those you must find for yourself.

[nolongeratease_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite of Roth's recent novels. Sketch of a review to be completed later:Bucky Cantor is one of the few characters in Roth's corpus who is a down right decent, honorable guy. The last 30 or so pages are just gut-wrenching. While we expect some tragedy from the outset, Roth spends the first 5/6ths of the book building up an endearing character only to absolutely demolish him. One wonders about Roth's allegorical aims. Certainly we could read Nemesis as a general meditation on death, and view Bucky as youth personified, polio as the reaper and the injustice, unfairness, and absurdity of the whole deal as the condition of our very being in the world. But that's probably too simplistic. I think what's most interesting here is that we might see the allegory as another bit of support for the traditional Platonic argument for the supremacy of the mind. Although Bucky is one of Roth's few wholly decent characters, we learn late in the novel that he has “barely a trace of wit”. Bucky is a great guy, but though he is dutiful and well grounded, his primary attributes are physical. Stripped of these, he is unable to view his situation as anything but a sort of cosmic punishment, an unfolding of a necessary sequence of events set in motion by a malevolent god. If only Bucky had the intellectual capacity to entertain alternative possibilities. If only he had the imagination required to see the world from multiple angles. Perhaps then he wouldn't have viewed his affliction as a personalized fuck you from the universe. Invariably the body breaks down. The pipes clog, the gears stick, and we begin the slow descent into death. But the intellect remains. It's our source of solace. Strength and comfort born of reflective activity. Bucky's positive qualities, his strnegth of mind and devotion to duty, ended up tying the rope around his neck. His inability to compromise on his commitments and his inability to accept his powerlessness conspired with his lack of thoughtfulness and his unfortunate illness to render him a wreck of a man. If he could have simply found the intellectual space to renege on some of his duties, to understand that ought implies can, perhaps he could've been saved. Is this what Roth is going for? Probably not. But for a guy who has used so many pages to celebrate the visceral, the very possibility of a novel that can from which we can plausibly derive this message is itself noteworthy.

[katherinegregg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love Philip Roth but this was not my favorite. I listened to an interview of Roth on NPR recently and was looking forward to reading Nemesis. Roth is skillful in that he is able to convey so much in a few words. The construction of Nemesis was interesting with a narrator unknown until the end. The protagonist in Nemesis was like-able and it was disturbing to see the way his guilt (in not being fit to serve in war and in being a polio carrier) isolated him from people who cared about him for the rest of his life. It was very sad.

[labfs39 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was my first book by Philip Roth, and unfortunately it was not an impressive first impression. The plot sounded interesting, about a polio epidemic in New Jersey in 1944 and how the multicultural community responds to the outbreak. Unfortunately, I found the main character, Bucky Cantor, to become increasingly irksome, until I reached a point where I thought he was one of the most unlikable characters I have met in recent years. His transformation over the course of the book is a rapid downhill slide until you want to throttle him. Perhaps Roth intended readers to feel this way and contemplate the fate of the anti-hero, but it didn't work for me.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Coulter puts Savich and Sherlock into another great book....fast to read, full of action as, usually, two stories overlap in these books. I have many more of Coulter's books to read about these two ---there are an amazing number and I doubt if any reader gets tired of them. Definitely a great series.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This series has been one that I have followed since it started. I really enjoyed the first books that centered on Savich and Sherlock and their cases. As the series went on more and more characters have been introduced with Savich and Sherlock often being supporting characters. This book has them back in the limelight with two separate cases. Sherlock, being in the right place at the wrong time, thwarts a terrorist attack and is pulled in to help with the investigation into the kingpin of the event and another that follows. I enjoyed this storyline and the investigation that went with it. Savich was involved in a separate storyline involving some paranormal activities and mind control. This plotline was not as interesting to me. There has always been some paranormal/supernatural aspects to the stories, but for some reason, this one did not speak to me. I will read the next one I have to see if I enjoy this story as much as others in the past.

[terribooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Usually in Coulter's FBI thrillers, Savich and Sherlock work together on a couple cases. In this one, they're working separate cases in different cities. Sherlock's focus is on terrorism, with the gripping images of bombs in airports and cathedrals. It's a good story, moves along, touches themes that are central to America's fears at the moment. Savich, on the other hand, is embroiled in a series of murders which end up ascribed to witchcraft. Well, no one ever said it was real! Good stories, good writing, good entertainment.

[mikedraper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Catherine Coulter is the author of numerous "New York Times" bestselling crime thrillers. She performs her storytelling expertise in "Nemesis" a page turner with pizzazz.FBI Special Agents Dillon Savich and the gutsy Lacey Sherlock, a husband and wife team, work in two crime scenarios.Sherlock is in line at JFK airport for the security check. She spots a man acting strangely. He fits the terrorist profile and as soon as the man grabs an unsuspecting woman and threatens to blow everyone up with a hand grenade. With her martial arts training, she disarms the man and saves many lives. However, in so doing, she becomes a target of revenge for the terrorist leader.Savich is in Virginia where two people are murdered with an athane, a type of Wiccan ceremonial knife. Savich comes across a group of Wiccans who are out for revenge for two related crimes against them.There is drama and excellent suspense as the reader follows the likable characters in their investigations. There are also a number of surprises as the two plots continue to play out. Interestingly, the reader follows the action from Savich and Sherlock's point of view but also from that of the arrogant terrorist leader.Coulter tells the story in a manner that makes the reader proud of having an organization like the FBI that can foil the terrorists. In so doing, the reader learns the motivation of the terrorist leader.The contempt that the terrorist has for America and England is explained and we root for Savich and Sherlock to stop the plot.Some of the story dealt with a bomb at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The two structures mean so much to America and England that I would have enjoyed reading more of the descriptions of the two Cathedrals and what it would mean to destroy them.Overall, an excellent read and captivating story.