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In his novel "A Man Worth Gold" (1979), Joseph Heller creates a sharp satire of American politics and the Jewish-American experience through the character of Bruce Gold, an English literature professor who dreams of power and prestige. Gold receives an offer from the mysterious Ralph Newsome to become a high-ranking government official, perhaps even Secretary of State, on the condition that he says and writes "the right thing" at the right time.

At the same time, Gold tries to write a book about the Jewish experience in America, but he is constantly hindered by obligations to his large and demanding family, especially to his father who hates him. His ambitions bring him into conflict with his own roots - he must give up everything Jewish in order to succeed in the WASP establishment of Washington.

Heller brilliantly depicts the absurdity of political life through Gold's encounters with the bureaucracy where no one says anything, but everyone understands everything. Gold's character is both funny and tragic - a man willing to sell his soul for success who eventually realizes that "as good as gold" is just a phrase. The novel is a sharp critique of the American dream, showing how the pursuit of success can destroy identity and integrity.