"The Human Stain" had all the right ingredients, or so it seemed.

"The Human Stain" is an astonishing, uneven and often very beautiful book.

"The Human Stain" seems, unwittingly, to play both sides of the passing story.

The Human Stain examines identity politics in 1990s America.

"The Human Stain" has the feel of a book overtaken by events; at times it almost reads like op-ed commentary.

But as "The Human Stain" demonstrates, such fidelity can be counterproductive for all concerned.

Roth's "Human Stain," published last year, can be read as an allegory of the Clinton presidency.

She also played Anthony Hopkins' daughter in The Human Stain.

Roth's new novel, "The Human Stain," loosely belongs to a trio that includes these last two novels.

When he first read "The Human Stain," he said, "I had to make it."