Američki san
The story follows Stephen Rojack, a war hero, professor, and television host, whose life falls apart over the course of 48 hours. The American Dream is a powerful, disturbing portrait of a man and a nation at odds with themselves.
In a drunken rage, Rojack kills his wealthy but abusive wife, Deborah, by strangling her in their Manhattan apartment, then stages her death as a suicide by throwing her body off a balcony. Instead of surrendering, he embarks on a dark odyssey through the New York underworld, encountering the singer Cherry, mobsters, the police, and Deborah's powerful father.
The novel, written in the first person, mixes raw realism with mythic undertones, portraying Rojack as a flawed antihero struggling with guilt and destiny. Mailer explores themes of masculinity, corruption, and the futility of the American dream through Rojack's moral decline. At around 270 pages, the work critiques American society in the 1960s, drawing controversy for its nihilism and accusations of misogyny, but also praise for its bold style.
One copy is available
