The Plot Against America
by Philip Roth
★ Top 10 book of 2004 · #7 on Best Books of 2004
In this alternate history, Charles Lindbergh defeats Roosevelt in 1940, and antisemitism becomes more accepted in American life. Young Philip Roth narrates his Newark family's persecution, a story that is also about the confusions of growing up.
Best for: Readers who enjoy alternate history and thoughtful fiction about family, fear, and politics
The Plot Against America is #7 on BookWard's Best Books of 2004, out of 48 2004 books that cleared our data bar.
What The Plot Against America is about
What if Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator, beat Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 election? Philip Roth imagines exactly that, and tells it through young Philip, a boy in a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey. Philip lives with his parents, Herman and Bess, and his older brother Sandy.
Lindbergh wins with the slogan 'Vote for Lindbergh, or vote for war,' then makes deals with Nazi Germany and Japan. The big events arrive at the family's door. Government schemes move Jewish families and children away from their homes, a cousin goes off to fight in Canada's army, and an aunt grows close to the new White House. Roth draws on Lindbergh's real isolationist views. It suits readers who enjoy alternative history and want to see how fear reshapes ordinary life, in a story that feels uneasy and sad in equal measure.
The Plot Against America on the Best Books of 2004
The Plot Against America came out in 2004. Of the 48 books first published in 2004 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #7 on our Best Books of 2004 list.
Why it made the list: 440 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (47 ratings). The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2004 list
- Blink Malcolm Gladwell, #5
- She Comes First Ian Kerner, #6
- When He Was Wicked Julia Quinn, #8
- Rising Storm Erin Hunter, #9
See all Best Books of 2004 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2003 Best Books of 2005.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 351 want to read it, 18 are reading it now and 71 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4 out of 5 from 47 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 88 | 55% |
| Reader love | 54 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 83 | 20% |
Questions about The Plot Against America
When was The Plot Against America published?
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth was first published in 2004.
Was The Plot Against America one of the best books of 2004?
The Plot Against America is #7 on BookWard's Best Books of 2004, out of 48 2004 books that cleared our data bar. 440 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (47 ratings).
Why is The Plot Against America on the Best Books of 2004 list?
440 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (47 ratings).
More of the best books of 2004
- Darkly Dreaming Dexter Jeffry P. Lindsay, #1
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens Robert T. Kiyosaki, #2
- The Ruins of Gorlan John Flanagan, #3
- Alexander Hamilton Ron Chernow, #4
- Blink Malcolm Gladwell, #5
- She Comes First Ian Kerner, #6
See the full Best Books of 2004, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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