Mourning Philip Roth fans bitter over long-standing Nobel snub

The death of America's prolific novelist Philip Roth aged 85 has led to his admirers scorning the Nobel Literature Prize that eluded his work, which often portrayed male sexuality and relations with women.

"RIP Philip Roth who for 'American Pastoral' alone deserved the Nobel he was shamefully denied," Roger Cohen, a New York Times columnist, tweeted today.

Known for mining the Jewish-American experience in his work throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Roth was often tipped for Nobel Literature Prize, but the Swedish Academy which selects the laureate, ignored him.

Being snubbed for the Nobel every year had "become a joke" for the author, said his friend French writer Josyane Savigneau today.

The author, who died Tuesday, was proposed several times for the Nobel award, but it's impossible to clarify why he didn't win as the academy's considerations are kept secret for 50 years.

"It's a shame the Nobel judges couldn't get their act together to honour him before his passing," Ted Gioia, a culture writer, tweeted today.

The author of "Portnoy's Complaint" (1969), which tells the story of a horny teenager named Alexander Portnoy, was however honoured with the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for "American Pastoral" (1997).

Roth later won the 2011 Man Booker International Prize which described him as "one of the world's most prolific, celebrated - and controversial - writers."