Die Tatsachen - das sind die faktischen Erlebnisse und Erfahrungen des Autors, aus denen die fiktiven Personen und Handlungen seiner Romane entstanden sind: die Jugend im jüdischen Kleinbürgermilieu, der erste Zusammenstoß mit dem Antisemitismus, die Katastrophe einer Ehe und Erschütterungen durch den Vietnamkrieg. Und mit Verblüffung erkennt der Leser, in welchem Maße die Welt im Roman von Philip Roth der Wirklichkeit entspricht.
Ekaterinburg, Russia: July 16, 1918. Ten months after the revolution, Nicholas II and his family face execution by Bolsheviks as the White Army approaches, shattering any hope of salvation. Fast forward to present-day Moscow, where Atlanta lawyer Miles Lord, fluent in Russian and knowledgeable about its history, is excited about the potential restoration of the monarchy. A new tsar will be selected from Nicholas II's distant relatives, and Miles is tasked with conducting a background check on a favored candidate backed by influential Western businessmen. However, his research takes a perilous turn when he narrowly escapes an assassination attempt. As he races against time across continents, pursued by dangerous foes, Miles's focus shifts from survival to uncovering the truth about the Romanov family's fate. A mysterious Russian's conversation leads him to Rasputin's writings, igniting his quest for answers about that fateful night. With the help of Akilina Petrov, a sympathetic Russian circus performer, Miles deciphers a cryptic message suggesting that the massacre may not have been the end of the Romanovs. The implications of this revelation could reshape the future of Russia and Miles's own life. Steve Berry masterfully weaves historical fact with thrilling speculation in this gripping narrative.
'Subtle, funny and furious' Observer. What if a lookalike stranger stole your name, hijacked your biography, and went about the world pretending to be you? Startlingly, Philip Roth meets a man in Jerusalem called Philip Roth who has been touring Israel - riding high on the author's reputation - preaching a bizarre reverse-exodus of the Jews, encouraging them to return to their ancestral homes in Europe. Roth decides to stop him, even if that means impersonating the impersonator. Operation Shylock is at once spy story, political thriller, meditation on identity and unfathomable journey through a volatile, frightening middle-east.