Philip Roth's novella "The Ghost Writer" features a discussion between the character Nathan Zuckerman and the writer E.I. Lonoff, resembling Bernard Malamud and Henry Roth, about the life and art of fiction, where Lonoff mentions the complex life of Abravanel, likely referring to Saul Bellow.

In "Exit Ghost," the novel delves into the life of Nathan Zuckerman, a fictional alter ego of the 71-year-old novelist who grapples with impotence and incontinence post-surgery while maintaining his narrative prowess.