Super Short Summary

In The Human Stain by Philip Roth, narrator Nathan Zuckerman recounts the story of his neighbor, Coleman Silk, a retired classics professor who resigns in disgrace after being accused of racism for using a term with racial connotations. Silk later starts an affair with a much younger woman, Faunia Farley. The affair arouses suspicions and tensions, eventually leading to tragic violence. Racism, interpersonal betrayal, and death are explored throughout the narrative.