Assistant FROM THE PUBLISHER
Bernard Malamud's second novel, originally published in 1957, is the story of Morris Bober, a grocer in postwar Brooklyn, who "wants better" for himself and his family. First two robbers appear and hold him up; then things take a turn for the better when broken-nosed Frank Alpine becomes his assistant. But there are complications: Frank, whose reaction to Jews is ambivalent, falls in love with Helen Bober; at the same time he begins to steal from the store.
SYNOPSIS
The Assistant is the story of a penniless drifter who befriends a poor Jewish grocer and falls in love with the grocer's daughter, and finds himself on a path toward self-knowledge, moral renewal and ultimately conversion. Published in 1957, this is the work that made Malamud's reputation as a novelist.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
This new specialty-interest audio publisher is launching its line with two strong titles in addition to this one: Betrothed by S.Y. Agnon, read by Peter Waldren, and Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives by Susan Dworkin, read by Bess Myerson and Adam Grupper. Known especially for the craft of his short stories, Malamud (The Fixer; The Natural) published this novel in 1957. Frank Alpine is an Italian-American drifter who lands a job working for a humble Jewish grocer in Brooklyn. When he falls in love with the storekeeper's daughter, he is forced to reexamine his moral and spiritual beliefs. Guidall, one of audio's finest narrators, extracts a strong sense of atmosphere from Malamud's richly descriptive language. He throws himself into the many charged dialogue scenes--complete with the ethnic accents required--expressing pathos and humility without overdramatizing. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
AudioFile - Yuri Rasovsky
Not one false moment mars George Guidall's resonant interpretation of the Pulitzer Prize winner's 1957 novel. With surprising lyricism and characteristic irony, the author writes of Frank, a young, Gentile nogoodnik, who comes to work for a Jewish ma-and-pa grocery in return for room and board. The family owners don't know that Frank was one of the thieves who previously robbed the place and clubbed Morris, the paterfamilias. For his part, Frank is at war with himself, ever vacillating between his good and brutal instincts. Guidall is totally in sync with this group, vividly portraying the inner life of each. He delivers the narrative with equal aplomb, making every moment seem effortlessly riveting. Y.R.Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award. ﾽ AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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