Philip Roth’s Nemesis plunges readers into the sweltering summer of 1944 Newark, New Jersey, where a devastating polio epidemic grips the city. The narrative centers on Bucky Cantor, a diligent and morally upright playground director whose athletic prowess is hampered by poor eyesight, preventing him from serving in World War II. Instead, Bucky dedicates himself to safeguarding the children under his care from the unseen scourge. As the disease relentlessly claims young lives and leaves others permanently scarred, Bucky’s fervent commitment is tested. The arbitrary cruelty of the epidemic forces him—and the reader—to confront profound questions about fate, justice, and the inexplicable nature of human suffering. Roth meticulously explores the psychological toll on individuals and communities ravaged by misfortune, presenting a stark meditation on vulnerability and responsibility in the face of an indifferent world.