The Assistant by Bernard Malamud is the moving story of an Italian-American stranger who works his way into the lives of an immigrant Jewish shopkeeper and his family. Malamud perfectly portrays the grinding worries of running a mom-and-pop grocery, but also brings out bigger themes such as the importance of education and an individual’s ability to overcome bigotry. Focusing on the value of loyalty, repentance, and personal responsibility, it is a story of the redemptive power of love and forgiveness. Four stars.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Review of the Day: The Assistant
The Assistant by Bernard Malamud is the moving story of an Italian-American stranger who works his way into the lives of an immigrant Jewish shopkeeper and his family. Malamud perfectly portrays the grinding worries of running a mom-and-pop grocery, but also brings out bigger themes such as the importance of education and an individual’s ability to overcome bigotry. Focusing on the value of loyalty, repentance, and personal responsibility, it is a story of the redemptive power of love and forgiveness. Four stars.
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Nice review. I've added it to me TBR list.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will enjoy it. It is one of those books that really sticks with you.
You might find it especially interesting now that you are writing your YA series -- it is a book that I think would be very good to teach to high school students. Its themes of tolerance and redemption are handled delicately, but are still beguiling.